Bloodlines
by PrincessVegeta7
Summary: She was beautiful and strong. A dangerous combination. Liza lived a life of solitude on a small town away from trouble. Nothing special really happened there. Well, that was until her eyes met a pair of captivating golden orbs and an obnoxious redhead that could not stop grinning!* No one would've guessed how their fates started to intertwine... Sequel to 'Unwanted Blood'* R&R!*
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 _ **A/N: The story you've been waiting for is finally here!* This story is mainly about Liza, Rosalie's mother, and how she came to be. It's important to read this story because a lot of things will be made clear. This will also be the foundation for the next Sequel to Rosalie's story* (Yes, there will be another book ;D ) If you have any other questions, just ask!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

The sea was calm for once, which was a rare thing you could come by while sailing in the New World. The sun didn't dare to hide behind a puff of white clouds and even the blue sky peeked out beneath the white fluff.

Today was a wonderful day.

Shanks stood against the railing of his large ship with a paper in hand and his eyes had a faraway look. The blue of the sea clashed with the blue of the sky but both of them stayed blue... A color that was nostalgic to him.

"You're still staring at that poster? I thought that you would frame it by now" Benn, his first mate's voice reached Shanks' ears and a smirk came onto his lips. The grey haired male came in next to him and he gave him a brief glance.

"No, not yet. I still need to find a frame first. I can't just put this in a dusty old wooden cover," Shanks said while pointing at the wanted poster. Benn chuckled at Shanks while shaking his head before his eyes rested on the calm ocean.

"What do think would happen from here on out, now that Rosalie has a bounty?" Benn asked and Shanks's face fell slightly but he managed to keep his smile. He glanced down at the poster of his daughter and a light sigh escaped his lips.

"Who knows? I'm sure she can handle herself and she has that rookie by her side. If push comes to shove I'll step in but until then we won't interfere. She has to have her own adventure," Shanks stated and Benn exhaled the smoke of his cigarette.

"What about Luffy? I think he'll be surprised when he hears that you have a daughter" Benn pointed out and Shanks burst out laughing. He could already imagine the small boy's reaction to the news and it amused him to no ends.

"He'll probably want her to join his crew at all costs!" Shanks said and continued to laugh while Benn gave a small chuckle. He agreed. "But I know she'll deny his request. She's attached to her current crew" Benn's brow twitched slightly when he heard a bitter tone in the statement.

"Are you jealous that Rosalie's attracted to that rookie?" Benn asked and Shanks gave his partner a look filled with disbelief. It was Benn's turn to burst out laughing and Shanks growled at the male while his cheeks tinted slightly.

"Shut up! She's my daughter! I don't have anything to be jealous of!" Shanks snapped and averted his eyes away from his first mate. "Besides, he better not do anything to my little girl or he's going to regret it" Benn's laughter died down, but his smug smirk was still visible.

"You mean anything 'bad', though your bad and her good may be the same thing." Benn pointed out and Shanks scowled at the male. He was treading towards a dangerous area and if the male didn't stop soon, Shanks was going to hit him.

"Whatever. As long as she stays out of deadly trouble, I'll accept her choices. It's not like I have a say anyway. She's just as stubborn and dangerous as her mother" Shanks said and Benn's face softened at the mention of the deceased female.

"I've been thinking about Liza a lot lately. I guess meeting up with Rosalie brought up old memories of her" Benn said and Shanks nodded while his eyes danced with various emotions. He had been thinking a lot about Liza as well and found that he couldn't shake her off as easy as always.

"Yeah, meeting Rosalie reminded me of how I met Liza. They were both so strong and prideful but didn't allow themselves to be stepped on. Dangerous women" Shanks murmured the last part and Benn chuckled.

That was just who Liza was...

* * *

 ** _Two years after the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger was executed on an Island named The Conquest Line located in East Blue..._**

"S-Sorry, sir! But I can't give you any more beer if you don't pay up what you already owe" A male in his late thirties tried to soothe the angry pirate costumer. He wore brown pants with a beige sleeveless top and black shoes.

The large pirate snorted loudly and hit his beer mug hard on the table leaving a small crack in the wood. His face was flushed from the alcohol and he was completely drunk along with his men who were glaring at the bartender.

"And _I'm_ telling you that I want more! I won't pay until I have another drink!" The drunkard male slurred and gave the male a deadly glare. "You do understand that I can bust up this lousy bar in a flash, don't you? I can kill you were you stand too. The choice is yours."

"Now, now, there's no need to threaten me. I'm just obeying the rules that's all. If you want something to drink you'll have to ask the Boss" The male said sighing and letting his brown hair bounce slightly as he let his shoulders fall.

"Then bring me that Boss of yours! I'll show him not to mess with a group of Pirates!" The drunkard slurred once again and the bartender frowned. His brows furrowed before he glanced back and took a breath.

"Boss! We've got some troublemakers that want to talk to you! They said something about a lousy bar and busting it up!" The bartender yelled before he was roughly grabbed by his collar and slammed into the table by the angry Pirate Captain.

"You little shit-!"

"Again? I swear this is the third time this week! If they hate my bar that much there are loads of others they can visit!" A feminine voice reached their ears as a female descended down the stairs from the second floor.

She had big blue eyes with long dark strands falling down her back until it reached her middle. She wore a leather hat complemented by leather boots and a pair of long dark blue jeans. She wore a light blue blouse that showed her large bust's cleavage.

The bar went quiet at the female's arrival and some of the other costumers gulped away their nervousness. The particular pirate group who was causing trouble had wide eyes and was practically drooling over her.

"Well, gentleman, what seems to be the problem here?" The Boss asked as she walked over towards the table, her hips swinging from side to side. "Do you think my bar is lousy, is that it? Then I am truly sorry to disappoint you fellas"

The bartender walked away from the table, knowing what was about to come and merely continued to serve the rest of the costumers. He growled at the other customers who fawned over the female and they immediately stopped, afraid of what the male might do.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" The Boss asked them, leaning a bit more towards the pirates and they swallowed thickly. Her cleavage was clearly visible and her big blue eyes had them melting in their chairs.

"Y-Yes! I want more beer but your schoolboy over there doesn't want to give us any!" The Pirate Captain slurred and the bartender growled. It was true, he was very short but no one ever dared to call him a schoolboy. He wanted to beat the pirate Captain up for that one.

"Oh? Don't worry about him! I'll tell you what, since he refuses to give you anything, I'll give you a special. Only a few costumers have ever gotten service from the Boss" She husked out and their faces flushed but their lust showed.

Until she smirked.

"GO TO HELL YOU STINKING PIRATE SCUM! PAY THE BILL OR GET OUT!" She roared and slammed their faces together before slamming them through the wooden table. Everyone in the bar paled while the bartender shook his head in disapproval.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL MY BAR LOUSY YOU ASSHOLES?! HOW DARE YOU THREATEN TO DAMAGE MY PROPERTY?!" She continued to roar as she beat them up, giving everyone quite the show while drinking.

She grabbed the Pirate Captain's hair and pulled him up to her deadly eye level. Despite his face swollen and beaten badly, he still saw her killer eyes and started to sweat bullets. His men were half conscious and groaned in pain.

"Listen carefully, if I ever see you at my bar, talk about my bar, even think about my bar, I will end your lives and you'll wish the Navy had locked you up to keep you away from me" She said before she kicked them straight through the west side of her bar, sending them flying outside the wall.

She watched as they scurried off and cried out in fear from the female's wrath. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Seems like this world only has cowards left as pirates. That's just sad" She stated in a bitter tone.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing, Liza-chan?! They got away without paying and you ruined the bar!" The bartender snapped while frowning deeply at the female's actions. She looked around and blinked a few times before grinning evilly and pulled out a pile of wallets that she held.

 _ **Liza D. Bloodmoore**_  
 _ **Owner of 'Dine and Dash'**_  
 _ **Former Pirate and Master Thief**_  
 _ **Bounty: 175 000 000 Beli**_

"Oh, they paid, don't worry. We can use the change to repair the damage as well. Don't worry so much, Richie, but right now... Free drinks for everyone!" The entire bar cheered at the female's declaration and she grinned widely. She loved the sound.

 _ **Richard Frost**_  
 _ **Bartender at 'Dine and Dash'**_  
 _ **Former Shipwright**_

"You know, you probably would get more reliable customers if you didn't name this place 'Dine and Dash', Liza-chan" Richard pointed out as they served the free drinks and Liza rolled her eyes. She had heard this a thousand times already.

"I don't care. I like the ring to it and so far, no one has ever outrun me. It gives me amusement to beat up people for money," She said and the males paled inside the bar at her brutality. They hadn't met a woman like that before.

"You're a monster...no, a devil..." Richard said as he watched her finish with her serving the costumers and received a wide grin. She didn't care what she was called and he expected nothing more from a former pirate.

That occurred the morning before the fateful meeting happened between her and a specific redhead. At that time, she was the owner of a small bar named 'Dine and Dash' where she also served music and entertainment to her costumers.

She was devoted to the small place she had built after two years and people flocked towards her bar because of the high quality alcohol. Being a former pirate, she knew everything about drinking and was proud of being a thief when no one paid his or her dues. She would just take what was needed.

"Liza-chan, I was thinking, maybe you should try and avoid damaging the bar from now on. We won't make any income if you keep this up. You always break a table and throw them out the same wall. There is a door you know" Richard pointed out as Liza sat at the bar counter, a drink in hand.

"Where's the fun in that?! Besides, we still have a lot of money left after the Whitebeard Pirates partied here. Who knew they were so jolly?" Liza said but Richard shook his head. She stared at him blankly before raising her eyebrow.

"We spent all that money on repairs already and by the way we would've gotten more if you didn't hit one of his men" Richard stated and her face paled while her eyes widened. She grabbed the male by his collar over the counter and pulled him closer.

"What do you mean we spent it?! There couldn't have been _that_ much damage! And for your information no one touches my ass unless I permit them!" Liza added the last part while shaking the male furiously.

"You keep breaking chairs, tables, walls, windows and we needed a new stove! If you weren't so set on kicking every disrespectful costumer through the wall we would've still have lots left!" Richard retorted and she growled while shaking the male.

As they continued to argue with each other a new costumer stepped inside the bar, ringing the bell right above the door. The entire bar became quiet and only Liza's yelling was heard. When she realized everything died down they glanced back at the door.

Her eyes widened when she saw a male in black boots and pants. He wore black and red ornate clothing with a crucifix pendant around his neck. His attire also consisted of a wide-brimmed black hat decorated with a large plume and a long open black coat with no shirt underneath.

However, what caught her attention wasn't his clothing at all. He had the large sword on his back and his piercing golden eyes. Her grip on Richard's shirt loosened slightly and they watched as he approached them before he sat down.

"A glass of the finest wine you have" His voice was gruff but had a hidden gentleness to it. Liza stared at him for another few moments before she completely let go of Richard. The poor male stumbled back slightly and growled at Liza but she seemed to be in a trance.

This was her first encounter with Dracule Mihawk, soon to be Strongest Swordsman in the World...

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2**_

"Here you go. The best wine we have here. Since you didn't specify whether it should be red or white, I gave you red." Liza said as she put the wine glass down in front of the male. It took her a while but luckily, she knew her alcohol to find the best quality wine.

"Red is fine, thank you" The male spoke again and Liza smiled at the male while nodding. She found Richard eyeing her and gave him a sharp glare. He quickly scurried off towards a table that called for the waiter and she sighed.

So they were low on cash? That was a big problem since they needed to pay rent again this month. Hopefully they would get enough money by the end of the month and she silently hoped that there would come more pirate crews with money.

"Your thoughts seem to be troubling you, woman. Any reason for such a beautiful face to look worried?" A gruff voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she glanced back at a pair of golden eyes. She had to refrain from biting her lower lip and managed to smile at him.

"Nothing that concerns a pirate such as yourself but the problem is about pirates. Why they come to a bar and don't pay astounds me" Liza let out a heavy sigh while sitting down behind the bar counter in front of the male.

"Maybe you should let them pay beforehand," He suggested and Liza wanted to retort but stopped herself before she said anything. He had a point. They could pay her beforehand but it wasn't how she worked. Unfortunately, she'd rather deal with them than ask people for money beforehand.

"Nah, I like beating the crap out of them and I'm not the person to ask for money when I haven't given anything in exchange for it. I'd rather lose money than a piece of my morals" Liza pointed out and the male chuckled in amusement at her statement.

"My name's Liza D. Bloodmoore, nice to meet you, stranger" Liza said and held out her hand as she introduced herself. He blinked a few times before he set down his glass of wine. He took her hand and kissed the top of it.

"Mihawk Dracule, the pleasure is all mine." Mihawk said and Liza couldn't help her cheeks tinting only a bit. This man was definitely a charmer and she hated that she was a woman. Why were they so weak to handsome men? And why wasn't he wearing a shirt? It was distracting!

"Hey, Liza-chan! Can you check if we still have another barrel of sake at the back? One of the costumers wants to take one with him!" Richard asked and Liza snapped out of her trance before nodding.

"Sure, but he needs to pay for it otherwise it's his head through the barrel!" Liza yelled back and Mihawk chuckled at her threat. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." She excused herself before she entered the back room.

Mihawk took another sip of his exquisite wine before he twirled it inside his glass. Bloodmoore...he hadn't heard of that surname before. However, she seemed very intriguing and definitely distracting. Why did she have to be so distracting? Moreover, beautiful?

It was very rare that he met such a woman in his life and she was...different. He heard her call out again before he watched as she stepped out of the backroom, a barrel on her shoulder as if the weight as absolutely nothing to her.

"Hey! Where do you want it?!" She called and the pirate that asked for the sake was shocked. How could she carry that as if it was nothing? Mihawk also wanted to know that but had a feeling that she was capable of much more than that.

Beautiful and strong, a dangerous combination.

It wasn't long until she returned to the bar counter with her confident smile back and her blue eyes shining against his golden orbs. Then something happened. He didn't know if it was because of the wine he drank or the charisma of the female in front of him but he relaxed.

He gave himself the luxury of listening to her melodious voice as she talked to him and conversed freely with her. Despite her being a complete stranger, he found himself that she could tell her anything and she would accept it with no strings attached.

"Really, they call you 'Hawk-Eyes'? That's a unique name but I must say that your eyes are beautiful. I'm almost jealous, almost," Liza said and Mihawk chuckled while twirling his glass between his fingers again.

"And they call you the 'Red Menace', I must say, I don't really see the name fitting you." Mihawk said and Liza burst out laughing while nodding. He could listen to her laugh all day long and he knew that he would never get bored of it.

"I know, right?! But maybe they gave me that name because I brutally killed a lot of pirates and marines. Who knows? They could've run out of names too. Anything is possible with those airheads" Liza said and Mihawk chuckled.

"So, you never told me why you're here on The Conquest Line. Are you planning on wiping out the last of the marines living on this island?" Liza asked as Mihawk finished yet another glass of his red wine. He let out a sigh and shook his head. If it was only that simple...

"No, I'm here because-""AMAZING! Look! It really is a bar! I told you, Benn, this is the best pace to get a drink!" A voice boomed outside of the building and Liza growled. Who was the idiot that yelled so loudly while they were conversing?

"He actually came..." Mihawk murmured and Liza stared at him blankly. He knew that voice? No wait, he knew the person who was so obnoxiously loud? Liza was completely bewildered by the thought and looked at the door as two males entered.

The one male was tall, at least a foot taller than the other male. His hair was jet black and pulled back into a ponytail. He had a cigarette in his mouth and his rifle tucked in a green sash around his middle. He wore a black shirt and loose dark green pants.

Then her attention switched towards the smaller of the two and her eyes met a pair of dark ones. She caught red bangs that stuck out from beneath the straw hat and he was unshaven with a short, scruffy beard.

He wore a black cape that fell down his shoulders with a pair of plain sandals. He wore slightly loose brown trousers cut below the knee and had golden buttons down the outer part of his legs. Covering only part of his upper body was a white shirt.

It was only buttoned up halfway and left a part of his well sculptured chest exposed. He had a large red sash that was tied around his waist and a sword tucked in neatly by his side. Liza took in his appearance once again before remembering that the male had yelled and silenced her conversation.

"Hey, Straw Hat, what do you think you're doing yelling outside my bar like that? There are actually people here who like to drink in silence" Liza said and the male blinked a few times. He kept his gaze on her only for a while before he noticed Mihawk sitting at the counter.

"Yo, Hawk-Eyes! So you finally decided for a rematch? I won't lose now or ever!" The red haired male said and didn't notice Liza's rising anger. Veins started to pop out of her forehead and Richard was quick to move towards her.

 _T-This guy... Did he just ignore me?! He goes yelling like a barbarian outside my bar and then ignores me?!_ Liza thought and gritted her teeth. Her eyes hid beneath the shadow of her hat but the two males were oblivious to her anger as they sat down at the counter.

"Hey, Liza-chan, we don't have money for repairs. Just remember that" Richard silently told her before he entered the kitchen and Liza snapped out for her anger. That's right. They already spent all their money. Oh how she hated this...

It was her first encounter with the Redhead Shanks, soon to be Pirate Emperor.

"Hey, red-haired barbarian! I was talking to you!" Liza yelled and slammed her hand onto the counter, her blue eyes shining with anger. He flinched at her sudden action and his partner stopped just from lighting his cigarette.

"First you yell outside of my bar and interrupt the peace of my bar. Second, you ignore me after I talk to you and third, you interrupted my conversation with him! Do you have anything to say to yourself?" Liza asked, as her brow twitched and a vein visibly throbbed out of her temple.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't even notice you! Sorry for yelling like that! I didn't mean to interrupt anything!" He said with a wide grin and Liza's brow twitched again. Was he serious? He didn't notice her until now?! How oblivious was he?!

"This is really a nice bar you have here and I'm sure the service is good too. Can we have two sake here? The best you have!" He asked before noticing Liza's visible shaking. Her fists were balled by her sides and she ached to hit the male.

"Go drown yourself in the ocean, Pirate!" She snapped at the male making Mihawk chuckle in amusement. She gave him a deadly glare along with his first mate that just blinked in confusion before she stomped away.

"Was it something I said?" Shanks asked completely dumb folded about her outburst. His first mate, Benn just shook his head and finally lit his cigarette. Shanks glanced at Mihawk and saw the male shrug but he had a small smirk plastered on his lips.

Later on, while the entire bar was full and everyone drank from thieves to infamous pirates. They all had a great time and with the best alcohol that one could afford. Richard took a small break from his waiter work and went upstairs to find Liza.

She hadn't come down once after she stormed out and he wondered if she was still mad at the red head or even if she was mad at him. After all, he reminded her that they couldn't afford any more damage. The thought made him pale and he swallowed thickly as he stopped in front of her door.

He knocked twice. "Um...Liza-chan, are you alright?" He asked and waited only to receive the silence as an answer. "I know that you're probably still mad...but it's about time for your performance since it's a Saturday night..." Richard's voice vanished and he bit his bottom lip.

Was she even listening to him? She she really _that_ mad at him? Maybe he should call off the performance-

The door was opened with a smiling Liza standing in front of him, no sign of anger in her bright blue eyes. "Sorry, I had to grab my guitar first! I've got to give it my all tonight! We have a lot of familiar pirates here and we may make enough money!" Liza cheered and he looked at her dumb folded.

"You...aren't angry?"

"No! Heavens no! Why would you think that?" Liza asked and saw his expression before she chuckled. "Don't worry, Richie. No red haired idiot can crack this baby. Besides, he's a famous upcoming rookie with quite a bounty." Liza winked at him and dragged him all the way downstairs.

"W-Wait! What do you mean infamous?! Did you actually do research on them?" Richard asked her and received a look that told him 'Obviously'. He let out a sigh and reluctantly let her pull him along, even down the stairs.

"I'll get my guitar and if you really want to play along, you can get yours as well" Liza said as she pulled Richard in next to her but he shook his head. He didn't practice as much as he needed to perform and he liked it more to watch her perform but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Nah, I'll serve the customers while you entertain them, Liza-chan. It always works better that way" Richard said and Liza gave him a nod. She knew that Richard didn't like it to play in public but he was very good at playing the guitar.

Maybe they would play another time again but for now she had to grab her guitar. She advanced to a room in the back of the small stage that was on the right side of her bar. Richard went back to serve the costumers and gave the three pirates that still sat at the counter refills.

"I hope I didn't offend your boss too badly. I didn't mean to make her angry" Shanks said and Richard shook his head as he put the drink in front of the redhead. Liza always had a way to quickly lose her temper but when she cooled down, she would act as if nothing happened.

That's just how Liza was.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3**_

"Nah, she's fine. You'll see" Richard said and they blinked in confusion at the male's reply. Shanks was about to ask what he meant before loud cheering reached their ears. Their eyes traveled towards the small stage where Liza stood, guitar in hand and smile plastered on her lips.

"You guys ready for the show?" Liza asked over a microphone and they all cheered softly making Liza raise her eyebrows. "Can't hear you? Are you ready?" This time they cheered loudly and she chuckled before pulling a chair closer.

She sat down on the chair as silence surged through the pub and let out a breath. He fingers started to gentle play on the guitar and the three pirates sitting at the counter had their full attention on the dark haired female.

 _Just a small town girl  
Livin' in a lonely world  
She took the midnight train  
Goin' anywhere  
Just a city boy  
Born and raised in South Detroit  
He took the midnight train  
Goin' anywhere_

To say that they were shocked was an understatement. Her voice was melodious and it had a wonderful sound on their ears. Liza smiled as she continued to play and sang with her blue eyes getting lost in her own world.

 _A singer in a smoky room  
The smell of wine and cheap perfume  
For a smile they can share the night  
It goes on and on and on and on_

Liza started to pick up the beat and the crowd cheered for her. Shanks grinned along with his partner and they drank their beer. Mihawk's golden eyes scanned the female's figure and a small smile was plastered on his lips.

 _Strangers waiting  
Up and down the boulevard  
Their shadows searching  
In the night  
Streetlight people  
Livin' just to find emotion  
Hidin' somewhere in the night_

Richard grinned as she continued to play the guitar and felt his fingers burn to play as well. He enjoyed her voice and there was nothing more beautiful in the world. Her passion for music was the most he had seen in his life.

 _Workin' hard to get my fill  
Everybody wants a thrill  
Payin' anything to roll the dice  
Just one more time  
Some will win  
Some will lose  
Some were born to sing the blues  
Oh, the movie never ends  
It goes on and on and on and on_

The entire bar started to sing along with her and Liza laughed as her fingers brushed passed the notes. Despite them not being able to sing on the notes she still enjoyed it when they sang with her. It was a motivating feeling.

 _Strangers waiting  
Up and down the boulevard  
Their shadows searching  
In the night  
Streetlight people  
Livin' just to find emotion  
Hidin' somewhere in the night_

Some of the men cheered while lifting their beer into the air and others stood arms locked while singing their lungs out. Mihawk tapped on the counter with his eyes closed as he continued to listen to her voice. Shanks on the other hand was singing his heart out along with her despite it being false.

 _Don't stop believin'  
Hold on to that feelin'  
Streetlight people  
Don't stop believin'  
Hold on  
Streetlight people  
Don't stop believin'  
Hold on to that feelin'  
Streetlight people_

The men cheered as she finished off with her singing and she snapped back into reality. She smiled at the crowd as they screamed loudly for an anchor and she let out a sigh. She felt a pair of golden eyes on her and he gave her a handsome smile with a nod.

She swallowed thickly and sweat dropped when she saw the two males next to him call on for an anchor almost louder than the rest of the bar. Liza glanced down at her guitar and closed her eyes before a smirk came onto her lips.

It had been a while that she had seen her bar so full and as the men cheered she found herself unable to hold back her own excitement. A gleam of mischief passed through her eyes and she looked back at the crowd.

"An anchor it is! You better hold onto your seats, boys!" Liza said and they all cheered while laughing at the same time. The redhead pirate sitting at the bar was almost too happy for her taste and had almost thrown the golden-eyed male off his chair with a playful clap on his shoulder.

What was with that guy? Rosaline briefly wondered before she returned her attention to the wooden instrument in her hands. Richard bought it for her the day she took over the bar and it was a special momentum to her. This way she could use her talent freely.

 _I'm going out tonight - I'm feelin' alright_  
 _Gonna let it all hang out  
Wanna make some noise - Really raise my voice  
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout  
No inhibitions - Make no conditions  
Get a little outta line  
I ain't gonna act politically correct  
I only wanna have a good time_

Richard laughed as he recognized the song and shook his head while the men and the bar went crazy once again. She was the star of the night and it was an amazing hit. They collected enough money for repairs again and at the same time, they both had fun.

 _The best thing about being a woman  
Is the prerogative to have a little fun_

This was the first encounter Benn Beckman, 'Redhead' Shanks and 'Hawk-Eye' Mihawk had with the dark haired female. Liza Bloodmoore. A woman of beauty that was dangerous to all men. This was the beginning of their intertwined fates.

 _Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy - forget I'm a lady  
Men's shirt - short skirts  
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild - yeah, doin' it in style  
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action - feel the attraction  
Color my hair - do what I dare  
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free - Yeah, to feel the way I feel  
Man! I feel like a Woman!_

* * *

In the present…

"I can still hear her voice at times and hearing Rosalie sing the other night reminded me once again of how beautiful her voice was. Even 'Hawk-Eyes' enjoyed her voice more than wine" Shanks said and laughed while Benn looked out at the ocean.

"…'Hawk-Eyes' you say… Say, Shanks, if things turned out differently do you think that maybe, Liza would've chosen otherwise?" Benn asked and but Shanks' face never faltered. However, his eyes burned with a strong emotion that his first mate knew very well.

"Yes, she would've chosen otherwise" Shanks answered earnestly and Benn's brows furrowed at his answer. He knew that his Captain would say that as soon as he asked the question but he had hoped that he would reply differently.

"However, it was his decision to walk away and despite him telling her the truth she still picked this path. She could've run after him but she didn't." Shanks added and Benn let out a sigh making a puff of smoke exit his mouth.

"Liza Bloodmoore is and was the most mysterious person I've ever met. Who knows what she really wanted in the end? I don't even think that she knew what she wanted." Benn said and Shanks chuckled while nodding.

"Yeah, and we still don't know if she found what she wanted. I can only hope that Rosalie will find what she's looking for if she hasn't already. She may be a lot like her mother but she knows what she wants and you can see it in her eyes" Shanks said and Benn gave his Captain a smug grin.

"Are you scheming that she got that from you?" Benn asked and watched as Shanks nodded stubbornly. He wasn't going to accept any arguments against his scheme. "Very well, then. We'll leave it at that or now"

He looked back out to the sea and they stood in silence both finding the blue color nostalgic. Somehow the way the water crashed and rippled was also nostalgic to them and their thoughts had only female on it.

Simultaneously far away from their destination was a golden eyed male that stared out of his castle window. His sharp eyes pierced though the mist but not far enough to see the blue sea surrounding the island.

Despite that, his mind could see the bright blue and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. A wanted poster of a fiery redhead female was in his grasp as he sat on the window pane and he occasionally glanced at it.

"I can't wait to meet you, Rosalie. The only wish that Liza ever had that came true…" Mihawk murmured softly to himself as he stared at the poster and the small smile finally formed onto his lips. He let his head fall back against the cool wall and closed his eyes.

His mind reminded him of the past.

A past that was both painful for him and a past that was the best time of his life. There was a part of him where he still silently wished that it had rather worked out in his favor but he never regretted his decision. He never regretted knowing the crazy brunette but most of all…

He never regretted falling in love with her…

* * *

 _ **Song inputs...  
**_ _ **Journey - Don't stop believing**_  
 _ **Shania Twain - Man I feel like a woman**_ _ **  
**_

 _ **Please Review!***_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 ** _In the Past..._**

Liza was fast asleep, completely passed out on her bed and small snores came from her exhausted form. She couldn't remember the last time singing to a crowd made her tired like it did. Who knew that they were so energetic?

There was a loud crash down below and Liza groaned as she was immediately brought to consciousness. Her small snores stopped and her bright blue eyes slowly fluttered open. She quickly closed them again at the bright light that broke through a window.

She pulled the covers over her slim figure and over her head. She hoped that the darkness beneath the blankets would help her get back to sleep but the loud bang from downstairs had her groaning in irritation.

What the hell was going on so early in her bar and on a Sunday of all days! They weren't going to be open today but there was still a terrible ruckus. This was absolutely ridiculous! All she wanted was to sleep in peace to regain her energy but now she was forced out of bed.

Liza climbed bitterly out of the comforting bed and changed into her usual clothing that consisted of a pair of leather boots and long dark blue jeans. She pulled on her white blouse that always showed her dangerous cleavage but she didn't bother to put on her hat.

She stormed out of her room with a dark aura surrounding her as her boots almost cracked the wooden stairs beneath her dominating steps. Whoever woke her up to early in the morning was going to see a very bad side of her.

She didn't care if it would cost them more money, she would beat them up with or without making damage to the bar. Liza growled as she reached the first floor and heard the thumping again following by a cry before she burst through the back door.

"What the hell do you assholes think you're doing?! It's like six in the morning! Do you want me to kill you?!" Liza yelled angrily and the men froze. Liza's eyes narrowed at her workers and Richard before her eyes settled on an object behind them.

"A piano? What the…?"

"Sorry for disturbing you, Liza-chan. We were just trying to lift this piano to place it inside before someone damages it." Richard said and Liza nodded her mind completely thrown in a whirl at the instrument in front of her.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahea-LIKE HELL! What is a piano doing at the back of my bar?! Don't tell me you guys stole it!" Liza accused while putting her hands on her hips and they all had their hands in the air in a position of surrender.

"No! No! You have it all wrong, Liza-chan! Someone sent this to you after last night's performance! We didn't steal it! We promise!" Richard quickly covered up and Liza stared at the instrument with a troubled face.

"Flowers would've been fine. Why go overboard and give me one of the best models?" Liza let out a heavy sigh and could feel a headache coming her way. It was too early in the morning to deal with the current situation. She still needed four hours of her beauty sleep.

"What do you want us to do with it, Boss? There wasn't any letter that said who sent it" Liza glanced back at her men before she looked at the piano. No letter? Who on earth would buy or give her a piano? That was completely insane.

"I don't care. I cannot accept this gift. Richard, you and the men try to track down whose piano this is or who send it. I want it out of my sight at the end of the day, understood?" Liza ordered and the male frowned.

"What if we don't find the guy, Liza-chan? I don't think we'll be able to find him without a trace of who left it here" Richard logically pointed out and Liza's face darkened. Her men swallowed hard and some took a retreating step back.

"Then destroy it. I don't want it" Liza replied ad their eyes widened. She wanted to destroy the newest model and the best piano they've even seen? That was absurd! This thing was probably more than what they've made their whole life!

"If that's your final decision…then we have no choice but to obey" Richard said and the men looked at him in disbelief. Wasn't he even going to try and convince her otherwise? Selling it could be much more worth than destroying it.

Liza nodded and knew that Richard wouldn't go against her wishes. "But can we at least keep it inside the bar for now? Just until we get the one who send it? Otherwise it would be worthless if we find the person and it was destroyed in the meantime." Richard asked and Liza sighed heavily.

"Fine, do what you must." Liza told them and they did. They managed to life the piano up and fitted it in on the small stage where she performed. They quickly left soon after to find the mysterious person who sent it to her and she was left alone.

With her head deep in her thoughts she poured a glass of strong wine in a glass and went to sit down at the bar counter. _Who send me this piano?_ She kept wondering and couldn't find an answer in her clouded mind filled with more questions.

The questions continued to a 'why?' and 'how?' and 'did they steal it?'

Liza glanced back at the piano that stood on the stage and bit her bottom lip. To be honest, she wanted to check it out very badly because it was one of the latest models. Moreover, she was curious why the person chose this piano to give it to her.

Deciding that looking it over wouldn't affect her decision, she advanced towards the piano, wine in hand and boots hitting the wooden floor. The sound echoed throughout the empty bar but Liza paid little mind to it.

She put the wine glass on the piano and trailed her fingers over the fine wood. She walked all around the piano and swallowed thickly when a memory flashed through her thoughts. She stopped dead in her tracks and bit her bottom lip.

An image of a young girl sitting at a piano with a male by her side smiling and laughing passed through her mind. Liza's brows furrowed and she clenched her fists briefly before she pulled a chair closer.

"It's alright, Liza. Just one song. That's all" She encouraged herself and quickly grabbed the wine that she swallowed in one gulp. She let out a satisfying sigh, put down the glass and took in a deep breath as her fingers traced over the keys.

She closed her eyes and started to play slowly as her fingers was reminded of the song. Her mind had long forgotten it but her heart never forgot a word or a note. The song that was close to her heart, closer than any other she ever played.

 _Every time the rain no longer falls and I see the sky  
I think back when I was a child who could only cry  
Blindly chasing after him, I fell far behind, My only thought,  
"One day I'll be stronger"_

As she sang the first words childhood memories passed through her mind and she entered her own world. It was a world where the lyrics came to life and where her entire body was manifested as the keys itself.

 _Camaraderie and gratitude,  
Fading with the wind  
Am I stronger now than I was before,  
Or as weak as back then?  
I don't know for sure, but until I do,  
My voyage will not end,  
No matter what's next,  
I'm walking straight ahead._

A figure passed by the familiar bar and stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a nostalgic voice singing once again. His golden eyes turned towards the bar's window where he saw the dark head of the night before in front of the piano with her eyes closed.

 _So, let's go!  
There's nothing that can stop us now,  
Though time's not on our side,  
We'll never let it pull us down, and  
We may fall,  
But we'll always keep on standing,  
There's no way anything will take what I hold dear away from me._

Liza didn't notice the golden eyed male entering the bar as her fingers played harder onto the keys of the piano. She continued to play and sing her soul out in the song and picked up the beat of the song.

 _The voices inside of me,  
Push me to keep surviving, I'll go on, I'll get through,  
No matter what I have to do  
the fiercest storms of all can pour upon me,  
I don't care,  
Why in the world would I turn back?  
Oh!_

For a moment she felt like she was running after something but she came to a stop at the last verse. She slowly came back into reality and opened her blue eyes to look at her fingers playing the keys on their own accord while her voice sang the song.

 _So, let's go!  
There's nothing that can stop us now,  
Though time's not on our side,  
We'll never let it pull us down, and  
We may fall,  
But we'll always keep on standing,  
There's no way anything will take what I hold dear away from me.  
I know the future's there for me to see…_

Liza let out a sigh as she stopped playing and gently lifted up her hands from the notes. How long had it been since she played a piano or even sang that song? She couldn't remember but she remembered the good times…

"That's quite a talent you have there" A gruff and deep voice spoke up from behind and Liza's eyes widened. She almost fell of her chair at her surprise and her reflex had her pulling out a small knife once hidden in her boot.

Liza stopped in her tracks when she recognized the male as Mihawk, the handsome man from the night before and relaxed. "I didn't peg you for the stalker type but it would seem that you have a knack of sneaking into places without anyone noticing" Liza said and he chuckled.

"I assure you that I'm no stalker, I'm an observer. If I was a stalker, then my presence would've still be unknown to you" Mihawk said as Liza put away her weapon. She huffed and jumped off the small stage.

"You underestimate me, Hawk-Eyes. You won't live long enough to stalk me, after all none of the others did. What makes you so special?" Liza asked getting closer to the male and his face fell into an impassive expression.

Liza felt like walking away from him to break contact with the swallowing golden eyes but she refrained from doing so. Her blue eyes pierced through his gaze and she didn't back down one bit. Maybe it was because of pride or stupidity or even both, but at the moment it didn't matter.

"I could ask you the same thing, Red Menace. What is it that makes you so special?" Mihawk said and she came to a stop a few feet in front of him. An unknown tension started to form around them and Liza had to stop herself from swallowing thickly.

"Who knows? Maybe it's something I don't know myself and I'm still looking for an answer" Liza said before the golden eyed male took a step forward. His body only inches away from hers. Liza bit her bottom lip and mentally cursed at the male.

Why didn't he wear anything over his well-built abdomen and chest? Didn't he know that it was a bad thing if you walked around showing off? And what was with this musky scent? Could a pirate actually smell that good?

"What if I can discover it first?" Mihawk asked and Liza chuckled. This guy was teasing…no actually mocking her previous statement. He was playing with fire and no matter how much she wanted to bliss the fire, she couldn't help but enjoy the moment.

"Then I'll have to see what the reward would be. I'm a little bit short on money so I'll have to compromise. How does that sound?" Liza asked as she leaned in slightly with Mihawk following her, a smirk plastered on his lips.

"That sounds satisfying-" Their lips were about to touch before they heard a loud yell and the doors of the bar swung open. It revealed a red haired male and his first mate who stepped in, both grinning with mischief.

"Oh! There you are! I was looking all over for you! I thought you ran away from our rematch!" Shanks exclaimed before he realized what was going on. "Sorry, was I interrupting something?" Liza groaned and distanced herself from Mihawk.

"I _really_ need to teach you manners! You can't go and yell all you want outside of my bar! Do you have a death wish? Or is it just your hair that shows how much of an airhead you are?!" Liza asked and dramatically walked over towards the bar counter to get herself another drink.

"Hey! That's mean! I never said anything about you hair!" Shanks yelled and immediately a dark atmosphere surrounded him. Benn stopped smoking and breathing all together and gave his Captain a paled face. Never ever bring up a woman's appearance.

"What about my hair? Do you have anything to say about how I comb it? I would love to hear you criticize me" Liza said as she walked towards the male who paled. He waved his hands in front of him and tried to calm her down.

"N-No! I-I didn't mean-AH!" Both Benn and Mihawk winced as Liza dragged the male out of her bar and beat him senseless. Not that they hadn't seen it coming but she was merciless and Benn silently knew she got him back for the night before's behavior as well.

She was a brutal woman.

"I'm sorry. I'll never say or do anything do offend you ever again!" Shanks apologized with a half swollen face and Liza nodded in satisfaction. Benn and Mihawk joined them outside and chuckled at the Captain.

"How are you going to fight when you're in such a pitiful state?" Benn asked but Shanks huffed and stood up. Despite making a pained face he grinned determinately and wasn't going to let the pain of her beating get him under.

"What match? Do you indulge in fighting with Hawk-Eyes? That's quite a rivalry you have there… Do you join in as well?" Liza asked but Benn shook his head while he continued to smoke on his small cigar.

"No, I only watch them beat each other up. You're welcome to join me to watch the show" Benn offered and Liza rubbed her chin. It didn't sound like a bad idea since the bar was closed for the day… She smirked and nodded.

"Sure, I don't see why not!"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5**_

They walked out to a wide and open space on the Island that Liza suggested and made sure that no one was around. Liza and Benn went to stand next to each other far away from the other two men who were distancing themselves from each other.

"Do they challenge each other regularly or is this a onetime thing that just happens when they see each other on an Island?" Liza asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and her blue eyes scanned the scene of the two prates in front of her.

"I'm not sure myself. They just challenge each other whenever they feel like it. Shanks only challenges Mihawk because they're equal in strength and he wants to be the best and Mihawk accepts every time because of his own pride" Benn explained and Liza let out a sigh.

"They're like children fighting over a piece of candy." Liza said in disapproval and shook her head. Benn snickered at her statement and nodded. He had to agree with her. He too at times felt like this was a game to them but he would never stop his Captain from fighting. It was against his own pride.

"Well, at least this will keep me busy and for once I won't get drunk too early in the day." Liza said and Benn blinked in surprise at the female. She was completely different. He had never met a female which such a short temper in his life and she just admitted that she drinks even in the mornings.

"Since we're just going to stand here and watch the show, how about we make a bet?" Liza suggested and Benn was once again shocked. He was quick to brush passed it though and raised an eyebrow.

"A bet? What kind of bet? I just told you that they were still even the last time they fought with each other and you still want to make a bet?" Benn asked in confusion and Liza smirked at the male. Her blue eyes gleamed with mischief and a chuckle escaped her plush lips.

"That's exactly why. You said that they were still even last time but how long ago was it?" She asked and his face fell slightly. "I thought so. They've both probably gotten much stronger since then and neither of us know who's going to win. That's why I want to make a bet, only for fun" She added.

"I see. You have a valid point there. Fine, I agree. I say they both stand an equal chance of winning once again. Neither of them will give up throughout the fight because both of them are too stubborn to know when they've lost" Benn said and Liza stared at him.

"What about your bet? Surely you don't think that this bet would be without something of worth being on the line?" Liza said and frowned at the male. Benn's eyes widened and he looked away nervously. What was he going to give her if she won?

"H-How about we pay double for each drink at your bar? My Captain loves to drink so he'll be sure to pay up" Benn said and half lied. He knew that Shanks would kill him if he paid twice as much for alcohol than he should.

"Alright, it sounds fair enough. If you win I'll give you a full day free of pay at my bar. You can drink, eat a party as much as you want to" Liza said and Benn's eyes widened. Now this was getting interesting. He had to try to win this one even if he could do nothing to change the results.

"Wait a minute. You haven't said one who you're betting. We can't call this an official bet until you give me your bet and we need to shake on it," Benn said and Liza chuckled at the male. She shifted her eyes towards the scene.

Benn watched as her facial expression turned serious and she stared at the two pirates as if analyzing each of them. "This battle will be a tie up until the end. Shanks will trick Mihawk and he'll let himself be tricked, leaving Shanks the winner despite Mihawk being stronger," She said.

Benn's eyes widened at her statement and his small cigar almost fell out of his mouth. He gaped at her and looked back at the two who were still readying themselves to fight. Did she just foresee the battle? That's impossible! That would mean that she has a power of a Devil's Fruit!

No, she couldn't have eaten one, could she? He didn't know her at all so it could mean that she did eat it without sharing that information. However, she could've made the bet so throw him off at the same time. What was this woman?

"Hey, are you going to shake on it or back out? Their fight's going to start any moment now!" Liza's voice made Benn snap out of his thoughts and his brows furrowed. He took his hand in her outstretched one but didn't shake it.

"Just one question before we make this bet. Did you have the power of a Devil's Fruit user?" Benn asked and expected Liza's face to fall. Instead, she laughed at him and she gave him a look of absolute amusement.

"Who knows?"

Her reply threw him into perplexity once again and he was baffled at her reply. She was toying with him and he didn't know how to stop her from doing so. It was as if she expected everything he was going to say or ask her but he couldn't predict her at all. She was a mysterious woman.

They finally shook hands and the bet was enabled. Liza's attention turned towards the fight that was about to commence but a part of Benn's attention was on Liza. He eyed her for a few seconds before he too decided to watch the fight that was about to commence.

Mihawk his his hand on the hilt of his sword and he slowly pulled out the black bladed legendary sword. Night. It was ornately decorated and it had a very long blade and it was even taller than Mihawk himself.

On the hilt of his blade was a cross guard, but the bars between the blade and the hilt were longer than average. The blade itself was pitch-black with a very strong sheen. It was a single-edged long sword with a slight curse at the end of the blade.

Shanks unsheathed his saber and Liza's brows twitched slightly. It didn't go unnoticed by Benn and her brows seem to furrow at Shanks sword. A Saber. It was a sword with a single edged blade with a large hand guard.

An incredible threatening atmosphere surrounded the two males and Liza could feel that their swords were asking to collide at their partner's will. She hadn't felt this type of power in a long time and her face darkened slightly.

Mihawk and Shanks stared at each other before they both shot off towards one another. Mihawk brought his sword down to the side and Shanks blocked it by doing the opposite action. A large aftershock rippled through the air and Liza's eyes widened.

 _Conqueror's Haki?! Amazing! I've never felt such pressure in my life! These rookies...are dangerous._ Liza thought to herself as she watched them break apart. They charged at each other once again but this time they fought continuously.

When Mihawk attacked, Shanks managed to block and if Shanks attacked Mihawk blocked. Their rhythm was constant and Liza swallowed thickly. The pressure they were giving off was starting to affect her body but she refused to give in. She wanted to watch this fight.

She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. They had incredible power and each time they clashed it had a large shock wave. She was sure that it even reached town and that was about two miles away.

As their fight passed, they started to grow tired and Benn noticed that Mihawk was less tired. It was just like Liza had predicted and his eyes narrowed slightly. He doubted his bet even more than ever now.

Mihawk attacked Shanks once again and sliced downwards with his sword. Shanks didn't move at all and it seemed like the swordsman cut him. However, it wasn't like that at all. Shanks had merely moved an inch to the side and avoided being sliced up by Mihawk.

Benn watched with wide eyes as Shanks swung his sword towards Mihawk and thought he had won the fight. Then something happened that made Liza smirk. Just as Shanks' sword neared Mihawk, he pulled out a small knife from the crucifix around his neck and blocked the attack with its tip.

Their energies collided but they were even despite being both tired. They jumped back again and Shanks grinned at the swordsman. He sheathed his sword and Mihawk did the same with his weapons.

"It looks like we're still even, Mihawk! I guess you were training as much as I did the past year!" Shanks said and laughed. Mihawk had his face impassive like always but nodded at the redhead's statement.

"Of course. I could never let my rival best me in a match. After all, I'm aiming to be the best Swordsman in the World, have you forgotten already?" Mihawk asked and Shanks' grin widened but he shook his head.

"Of course I haven't! After all, I'm aiming to be a Pirate Emperor! We've both got a while to go before we reach it though," Shanks said and Mihawk grunted. He was closer than Shanks thought. He could feel it.

"They were even... That means I won the bet. I must say that you had me there for a moment" Benn said and smirked while glancing back towards Liza. His eyes widened when he saw her form crumble to her knees and she was breathing heavy.

"Liza! Hey! Are you alright?" Benn asked in concern and kneeled by her side. Liza vaguely nodded while breathing heavy. She could feel that she was barely clinging to consciousness but she wasn't going to pass out just yet. She was stronger than that.

"I-I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed. I-It's nothing to worry about" Liza replied but Benn could see that's he was lying. Her face was pale and sweat cascaded down the side of her face. She went out to grab him to touch something solid and his eyes widened when he felt that she was shaking.

"Liza! What's wrong?!" Shanks asked when he saw her state and rushed over towards her. Mihawk frowned deeply and he stopped in front of her. He kneeled down towards her and took her pulse before his eyes narrowed slightly.

"It seems that we overdid it a bit by expelling too much of our haki. I apologize for our recklessness" Mihawk said making Shanks and Benn's eyes widened. _Mihawk_ was apologizing?! Shouldn't it be Shanks that usually apologized?

"I-It's fine, I'm glad that I got to see you fight at full strength. I haven't seen something like that before in my life." Liza said and smiled at the male. His golden eyes widened slightly when she suddenly passed out and fell into his grasp.

"Liza! Liza! Damn it, she's out cold! We should've asked her if she could handle our haki first!" Shanks cursed loudly while Mihawk slowly picked Liza up. He was as calm as ever and Shanks' frowned slightly.

"Even if we asked her, how would she know? We haven't shown our haki to her before. However, one thing is for sure. If she was able to withstand all of the aftershocks, then she's definitely an extraordinary woman" Mihawk said and Shanks glanced back down at the female.

Her expression was at peace and her body lay comfortably against Mihawk's chest. She must've fought off their haki with her own will power to watch the fight and he was shocked. Even though she couldn't stand their power she watched the fight to the end.

She was completely different.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6**_

Liza felt calm.

She enjoyed floating in the nothingness of unconscious and it gave her peace of her own thoughts that usually darted around in her mind. This was the only time that she enjoyed fully. When her mind was calm and nothing dared to bother her calm thoughts.

That was until a very disturbing and very loud noise broke the abyss apart. She was brought back to consciousness as the loud noise came and went in a repeated cycle. Couldn't anyone make it stop? Who was making such loud ruckus?!

Liza groaned at the loud noise that didn't want to go away and pulled her pillow over her ears. It helped, but the sound was still known to her ears and she found the more she tried to block it out, the more her ears defied her.

Her blue eyes opened up and narrowed. She didn't even flinch at the brightly lit room and sat up in bed. She was going to kill whoever made that loud noise. Without even looking at her state of clothing, she darted out of her room and neared the noise.

It was coming from one of their guest rooms at her bar. There were only two of them, but one was currently being occupied by Richard and the other... No one stayed there. She didn't even advertise it because she wanted to keep everything as it was now.

She considered getting another bartender but then she had to pay him or her as well and she was already going low on money. She admitted that it was her fault but only a small percentage. If Pirates stopped pissing her off, then she wouldn't wreck up the place by beating them up.

By the time she reached the door, she had veins throbbing almost painfully out from her temple and her one fist was clenched. No one was allowed to stay in the guest room and they definitely weren't welcome without any payment.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP WITH YOUR OBNOXIOUS SNORING?!" Liza roared as she kicked open the door, rage rippling off her in waves. However, it diminished as soon as she took in the scene of the room.

Shanks practically fell off the bed in surprise and shock at her sudden outburst. He was only dressed in a pair of trousers with no shirt covering his well-sculptured chest and abdomen. His red hair was messy from sleeping and his eyes were wide.

Benn, who also seemed to once be asleep, had a hand on his gun out of instinct but he calmed down when he saw it was only Liza. He was still fully clothed in his previous clothing and he appeared to be sleeping against the wall while sitting on the bed.

Isolated from the other two pirates, sat Mihawk. He had his arms crossed over each other and his back rested against the wall. He had his large black sword by his side and his hat rested beside it. He still wore his jacket but as usual, his muscled chest showed.

Liza was about to say something but instead let out a heavy sigh. _Calm down. Calm down. I'm sure there's a reason for them to sleep here. Just take deep breaths..._ Liza glanced back up at them and as soon as she saw Shanks was fast asleep, again, she gritted her teeth and almost burst a vein.

There was one hard punch to his head and he was awake. A large bump formed on the top of his head and tears collected in the corner of his eyes. He looked up at her with a confused look before paling at her threatening expression.

"First, you snore so loud that you wake me from my well deserved rest! Second, you sleep in this room without my permission!" Liza yelled as she leaned in and poked the pirate on his chest with her eyes narrowing.

Shanks swallowed thickly and tried his best to get away from her deadly blue eyes but only resulted into looking down...towards her cleavage. His face started to turn red and all of her words fell on death ears.

"Third, you dare to fall asleep again while I'm still busy thinking of how to deal with you! Honestly! You are such a disgraceful man!" Liza yelled and was breathing heavy from her outburst. Benn stared at the scene with a blank expression while Mihawk chuckled.

"Liza, you might want to move your bust away from him, before all the blood in his system pumps towards his brain." Mihawk warned and Liza blinked a few times. She looked at Shanks and realized that he was flustered and her eyes widened.

Now, she finally took in her state of clothing that wasn't much. She was merely wore a long white shirt that barely covered her panties and she still wore a bra underneath. However, that was all that she wore.

Richard burst into the door while breathing heavy and his eyes darted around in the room. "What's wrong?! What happened?!" Richard asked frantically while trying to figure out what was going on before he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

He immediately started to sweat bullets and his face paled as his blood ran cold. That deadly aura was definitely coming from Liza. He swallowed thickly as he watched her slowly turn around to face him and wished he could run away at that moment but it was too late.

"What's wrong? I don't know... YOU TELL ME!"

A few beatings later...

Liza pulled on her usual leather boots to finish up with her fully clothed outfit before she grabbed her hat. She put it on her head, glanced at herself in the mirror and huffed. She exited her room and descended downstairs where three males sat, each with a bump on their head.

"Liza-chan, I'm-" Richard was silenced by Liza's hand that shot up. She didn't want to hear a word from the male of any of them for that matter. She walked behind the bar counter, threw in a large mug of beer, gulped it down and then turned to the males.

"Let me get this straight. After I pathetically passed out, you carried me back here with these pirates. You then deliberately stripped me, clothed me in this clown's shirt, and then gave them permission to stay in the guest room. Am I right?" Liza asked while gesturing towards Shanks, 'the clown'.

Richard was about to argue with her, but her blue eyes narrowed onto him and he swallowed thickly. "Yes, you're right" Richard replied in a murmur and Liza grunted. She filled another mug, gulped it down and let out a sigh.

"There goes my off day then. We have an hour before we open, do you fellas want something to drink before we open?" Liza asked and the males sweat dropped at her sudden change of behavior. How can someone's attitude change to drastically?

"No, I don't think we can afford drinking right now. We already have to pay you for accommodating us for the night," Benn denied and Liza blinked a few times before smiling. Everyone looked at her with peculiar expressions, not knowing what to expect from her.

"Have you forgotten, Benn? You won our wager. Therefore you're drinks are on the house" Liza reminded the male and his eyes widened in surprise. He had completely forgotten about that! But...something wasn't right.

"What?! Benn, you wagered?! It's great that you won but on what did you bet?!" Shanks asked, being both exited and shocked. They were all getting drinks on the house but where was he when Benn did this?

"Interesting question. I am also not aware of such a wager. Did you by any chance space this bet during our fight?" Mihawk asked, being the sharpest between the two pirate Captains and Liza grinned with a nod.

"Yes, if Benn's interpretation of the fight was correct, then you can drink, party en enjoy yourself for an entire day at my bar. If he lost, then you had to pay twice as much for every drink you ordered." Liza elaborated making Shanks and Richard gaped at her in disbelief.

"That's quite an intriguing bet. However, it's only applicable to redhead and his crew here, isn't it?" Mihawk pointed out and the others went silent. He was right. She only made the bet with Benn for their crew.

"Nah, you can enjoy yourself too. After all, if you weren't Straw Hat's opponent then it wouldn't have been entertaining. Just don't drink up all of my wine" Liza said with a playful smirk and Mihawk chuckled. He couldn't promise her anything.

Richard let out a sigh but a small smile crept onto his lips. "That sounds like you, Liza-chan. I'll go get out a barrel of beer. You'll probably want to go get your crew too." Richard told Shanks and the male nodded.

"Yeah, but we'll contact them by a Transponder Snail. I'm not going to let them hog out all the beer!" Shanks exclaimed and Liza chuckled. He was quite amusing when he wanted to be and selfish when it came to his alcohol. It almost sounded like herself.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Captain Straw Hat! Go call your crew while I serve you the first batch!" Liza chased the male away and he laughed while going outside to make the call. She let out a sigh and smiled at the two remaining males.

"While he's gone you better tell me what you want before he wants it too," Liza whispered towards the males and Benn sweat dropped. Mihawk gave her a smirk and she immediately knew what he wanted. After all, she did serve him the best wine the other night.

"Liza..." Benn started as his brows furrowed together and his lips were pressed into a straight line. Lize hummed in reply as she looked over the bottles of wine for Mihawk and listened to Benn simultaneously.

"Tell me something. Did you know how the fight would really turn out and bluffed me when we struck the deal?" Benn asked and Liza froze for a few seconds before she snickered. She grabbed the wine bottle and a glass before turning back to them.

"Benn, you won the wager, whether or not I knew is not important," Liza said and Benn's lips twitched down into a small frown. "Knowing the answer wouldn't make this day amusing, now would it?" She asked and Benn's eyes widened.

This woman... She amazed him to no ends. He didn't know if she planned this from the beginning or if it really was just all a bluff. She threw him in a wave of confusion and there was no way for him to figure her out.

She was a mystery on her own.

"Yosh! It's settled. They're on their way!" Shanks said as he re-entered the bar with a wide grin. In the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of a black piano and whistled. That was one beautiful piano, but he couldn't remember it being there before.

"Amazing, look at this piano. Did you hide it from before?" Shanks asked and Liza glanced back at the instrument. Mihawk noticed that she immediately frowned and she walked around the counter towards the piano.

"No, it was left outside my bar yesterday morning. We believe that someone must've sent it to me as a present" Liza said and Shanks eyes widened in shock. This was definitely the first time in his life that he saw someone gave a piano as a present.

"I don't want it"

"Huh? Wait, what? What do you mean you don't want it? This is probably one of the most expensive pianos and you just want to throw it away? Can't you play it?" Shanks asked, baffled by her decision to discard the instrument.

"Of course I can!" Liza snapped before her brows knitted together. "Straw Hat, I sing for the love of enjoyment. As long as you come to my bar, enjoy yourself and pay, I want nothing more from you. I cannot accept this gift because it goes against my morals"

Liza's eyes were hard and emotionless just like her expression making Shanks frown. She was dead serious about this and she wasn't planning on being convinced. Was she _that_ set on not going against her morals? She had incredible will power.

"That would be such a waste, don't you think, Red Menace?" Mihawk spoke up and she looked back at him, with a troubled gleam that passed through her eyes. Mihawk took a sip of his red wine before he put it back on the counter.

"Not only are you throwing away one of the finest made instruments, you're throwing away your talent," Mihawk said and Liza's eyes widened at his words. A nostalgic feeling washed over her from his words and she barely refrained from gasping.

Those words... She had heard them before and just like back then, it raised an unsettling feeling from deep within her stomach. Liza looked back at the piano and was reminded of the song she sang before.

"Hey, don't push her. This is her bar and she decides what stays and what goes," Richard stated as he walked inside the room with a large beer barrel. Shanks let out an exasperating sigh and went to sit down.

"Yeah, I guess you're right... But damn, how much did that thing cost anyway?" Shanks asked and lay his head down onto the palm of his hand. Benn snickered and lit a cigarette before inhaling deeply. He knew Shanks would only use that money for drinking other than buying such an expensive thing.

Maybe if they had a musician then he would buy a piano like that, but they didn't. It was probably one of the things that the Captain looked into but they haven't found anyone fitting for the position yet.

Benn's eyes widened and he almost chocked on his own cigarette. He looked back at Shanks and saw his Captain had a mischief gleam in his eyes. He couldn't be! He couldn't possibly be thinking to get Liza as their musician.

Liza let out a sigh and put her hands onto her hips. "Richie, just keep looking for the one who gave me this piano. I won't throw it away until you found the one who gave it to me." Liza said and turned back to the others, her eyes shining once again, but her lips were pressed into a straight line.

"Sure thing, Liza-chan!"

"What will you do if you don't find the one who gave it to you?" Mihawk asked and Liza's brows twitched slightly. She glanced back at the piano and heard his words echo through her mind like a broken record.

"Then I'll throw it away or give it away. I won't go back on my morals, Hawk-Eyes. Just remember that" Liza told the male in a threatening tone and everyone in the room swallowed thickly. He was treading on dangerous grounds.

Mihawk smirked and let a chuckle escape his lips. "Very well, then. You seem to have made your final decision. There's no reason for me to persuade you any further" Mihawk gave in and Liza grunted before she walked towards the door to open the bar.

 _"You're throwing away your talent"_

Liza froze just as her fingers grazed over the knob of the door and her blue eyes were wide for a few brief seconds. She forced her rigid form to move again and opened the door without any more hesitations. She took a deep breath of fresh air and found that it soothed her nerves.

She restrained herself from moving and merely closed her eyes. Those words... How long had it been since she heard them? She had heard it on too many occasions in her life but she didn't expect to hear those words now again.

Especially out of a pirate's mouth.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7**_

 **Flashback**

"Hey, Liza-san, you're up." A woman whispered as she came around backstage and Liza grunted. She sat in front of a mirror while putting up her hair. Her blue eyes were sharp and uncanny. Nothing could break through her heightened senses.

"How many spectators do we have tonight, Lynea?" Liza asked as she stood up and adjusted her tight fitted costume. Her black boots added to her height while her black pants were slimly attached to her legs.

"Enough to make a good show" She replied in a monotone and Liza nodded. She knew she had to get this job done quickly and swiftly. She couldn't stay too long at one place or she could be caught by the Navy. Lynea soon exited the room and Liza straightened up.

"Such a waste of talents, don't you think?" Liza spun around while throwing a knife towards the intruder with the motion. Her eyes were deadly and her aura threatening towards the male that suddenly appeared behind her.

He had a large grin plastered onto his face and his hands were up in surrender. The knife made a skin cut on the side of his left cheek but no gleam of fear crossed his eyes. His chestnut brown orbs only seem to be mocking her.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Liza asked and pulled out another knife, much sharper and dangerous than the last one. The male let his hands fall into his pockets and he let out a chuckle, he loved her fire.

"Name's Hendrickson. I'm here to change your life and use your wasted talents for something else, other than killing for money," The male said and Liza's eyes darted around his form to look for any threatening signs. When she found none, she sheathed her knife and smirked at the male.

"What did you have in mind?"

 **End of Flashback**

"Liza-chan!" Richard's voice reached her ears and Liza snapped out of her haze before she turned around to look at the male approaching. "Are you alright? You've been out here for half an hour. Your missing one heck of a party in there" She said while pointing at the door behind him.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I lost track of time." Liza said and gave him a smirk before her face suddenly fell. "They better not be busting up my bar or I'll bust up their asses!" She marched into the bar while Richard rolled his eyes with a laugh and followed her inside.

Liza's first impression of the Redhead's pirate crew was that they were still young, very young. She could tell that he had experienced men and they were all quite strong. However, the look in their eyes and the smiles on their faces told her that they were still young.

Yet, despite noticing the youth of his crew, they drank at an incredible pace! They were practically throwing mugs of beer down their throats and it was quite a sight. They all laughed and cheered and it brought a small smile on her lips.

She felt a small tug in the back of her mind before dread washed over her. If they continued to drink like that they wouldn't have anything left! They were still waiting for this month's stock to be delivered and they barely had enough to make through the week.

What was she thinking when she offered them free drinks? Did she want her poor bar to close after two years of hard work? Was it worth it? There was a loud obnoxious laugh that reached her ears and she looked at the redhead sitting beside Benn, his first mate.

Shanks had a large grin plastered on his face along with Benn and Mihawk silently sat with a confident, yet relaxed smirk plastered on his face. She shook her head, chuckled and pushed the worried thoughts aside. It didn't matter. As long as they had a good time, she was more than happy.

"Liza-chan~!" Shanks called and Liza's face immediately fell. He was drunk, already. How long did she stand outside the bar for him to get drunk? "Where were you?! You're missing out on this great party!" He slurred and Liza sweat dropped.

He was long gone with a large goofy grin and his face was flushed in a deep crimson. However, what caught her attention was his dark eyes. They were still as strong as before, maybe even more overwhelming than when he and Mihawk fought. It was strange.

"I was catching some fresh air before I came into this rowdy bar. You know, it's rude to take over a person's place without including them in the fray. Honestly, Straw Hat, did no one even teach you manners?" Liza said with a disapproving shook of her head.

"If they did, they wasted their time. Manners isn't even in his word dictionary when he consumes alcohol." Benn stated and chuckled when his captain pouted at him. Benn shrugged off the look he received and took another gulp of his beer.

"Who's side are you on, Benn?!"

"He's on the side with manners, you drunkard." Mihawk coldly said as he drank his wine and Shanks' gave him a glare. It wasn't dangerous enough for any of them to take it seriously and it was quick to fall from his face.

"Oh really? At least we know what real alcohol tastes like! We don't drink pitiful classy drinks, we don't like being fake" Shanks cockily grinned before he received a punch hard in his face. He yelped and fell off his chair while clutching his face.

"Oh dear... Liza-chan, calm down. Don't wreck the bar!" Richard called as he served drinks to Shanks' crew who went silent after the punch given to their Captain. Shanks glanced up at the female who held her fist and she had a smirk plastered on her face.

"Insulting wine is something you shouldn't do in my presence, Pirate" Liza said and jumped over the counter. She took a step towards Shanks and picked him up by his collar. She pulled him to his feet and he swallowed thickly at the look she gave him.

"Since you believe wine is fake alcohol, how about we have a little drinking contest. If I lose, then I'll accept that wine is fake and stop serving it at my bar." Liza started and everyone's eyes widened while Richard exclaimed in shock.

Benn's brows furrowed as he stared at Liza and noticed that look again. It was the same confident look she had when she made a bet with him. It was like she already won and she knew exactly what was going to happen. Never before has he doubted his Captain's alcohol endurance as he did now.

"And if you win?" Shanks dared to ask as Liza still held his collar tightly. Her blue eyes were swallowing him whole and if he continued to stare into them, he was going to be lost. They were incredible beautiful, like the open ocean of the Grand Line.

"If I win... Then you apologize for calling wine fake and you have to drink it the rest of the night. No beer or other substances of alcohol" Liza said and Shanks blinked a few times. That was what she wanted? Why did he feel so disappointed all of the sudden?

"Deal!"

Liza suddenly laughed and let his collar go. He fell on his ass and Liza snapped her fingers. "Richie, bring me _those_ barrels" Liza said and Richard let the empty mugs fall out of his hands as he stared at her with wide eyes.

"A-Are you serious? Y-You said to never get those barrels, Liza chan" Richard asked and swallowed thickly. Liza gave him a nod and he hurriedly picked up the mugs on the ground. He quickly entered the back room and Liza crossed her arms over her chest.

"Those barrels? What type of wine is inside them, Liza?" Mihawk asked out of curiosity and Liza glanced back into his golden hawk-like eyes. She chuckled and moved behind the bar counter before she sat down.

"The most dangerous, rare wine there is. It's legendary around these parts and I'm the only one to ever find a contact who can get tit for me. It's called, the Bloody Mermaid," Liza said and everyone raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"It's said that if you drink one glass of that wine, all mysteries will be clarified, all problems will be solved, all pain will be lost but most of all you'll be as drunk as hell" Liza explained and everyone gaped at her in disbelief.

"That sounds quite interesting. I thought this was the best wine that you had here but it seems that you have an even better quality in your grasp. What a sneaky woman you are" Mihawk said and Liza chuckled.

"Why thank you, Hawk-Eyes. Being sneaky is a specialty of mine," Liza said and Mihawk couldn't help but smirk back at her. She had an incredible challenging look in her blue orbs and being the type of man he was, he wanted to accept that challenge. He wanted those eyes for himself.

"Ha! It can't be _that_ great! I've drank much better things and much more dangerous things in my life. This isn't going to be any different." Shanks confidently stated as he sat back down on his chair and Richard stepped inside with two barrels by his side.

"Boss, maybe you shouldn't underestimate that wine so much. You might actually be in trouble" One of his men spoke up but Shanks snorted. He knew that his crewmate believed that he would lose this challenge but there was no way he was losing a drinking contest.

Definitely not to a woman.

"Thanks, Richie. Now, let us commence with our little contest, shall we?" Liza said and filled two mugs with the wine, not wasting her time with wine glasses. She put one in front of Shanks and took her own. "Benn, if you please" Benn put his own mug down and nodded.

"Ready... GO!"

The entire bar cheered for the two who gulped down their mugs while Mihawk and Benn stared at the scene in amusement. Liza and Shanks put down the mug simultaneously, both quiet and the silence echoed throughout the bar.

They stayed unmoving like that for a few moments with both of their faces hid beneath a shadow that fell over their faces. Richard worriedly looked at Liza while the crew worriedly looked at their Captain.

"Whoa! This is strong stuff!" Liza exclaimed while throwing her head back and let out a sigh. "It's been a while since I've drank this" She smirked as she stared at Shanks who still didn't move before he slammed his mug on the table making her eyes widen.

"This is great! I haven't tasted anything like this in all my travels! Phew! Another!" Shanks exclaimed with his wide goofy grin and his entire crew cheered. Liza stared at him in absolute disbelief and her blue eyes scanned his figure.

No way. There was no way. How was he still conscious? Everyone, except Liza, fell over after the first taste of this wine and yet, this Straw Hat in front of her stood tall. He didn't even seem the slightest bit drunk after that one gulp.

Liza's smirk faltered ever so slightly and Mihawk was the first to notice this. Benn noticed this just after him and it was a first. She always had that confident look on her face and it never fell, not once. However, this time it fell and it meant that she couldn't predict Shanks' move.

"Very well then, let us continue this drinking contest," Liza said, gaining her composure and filled their mugs again. Benn started them off again and in a flash, they gulped down their mugs. They both let out a sigh in satisfaction but Shanks still didn't fall.

They continued with the drinking contest, neither side giving in but the more it continued the more frustrated Liza got. Why wouldn't he fall? Why did she feel her confidence slipping? This never happened before! She never lost a drinking contest, never!

However, something was different this time. The more they drank, the stronger that peculiar look in his eyes got and the more he smoldered her. It was all a big game for him and she was losing. She hated losing.

They finished the first barrel and were about to go to the next barrel but Richard stopped them both. Shanks and Liza looked at him with disapproving looks but he had a hardened facial expression and shook his head.

"That's enough. You know that it's dangerous and if you take in any more you'll be endangering yourselves. This is a draw," Richard said and just when Liza wanted to disagree, Shanks sighed and nodded.

"Alright, then neither one of us get to win" Shanks said and nonchalantly crossed his arms in front of his chest. Liza's brow twitched in agitation and she stared at the male. "Too bad, this was getting fun" He added and grinned at Liza.

"Thanks for the great wine! You were right, Liza-chan, wine isn't a fake alcohol. I take back my insult," Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened. What? This wasn't how it was supposed to be! He just... He just apologized? Just like that? She couldn't understand this male at all.

It was frustrating.

In all her years, she had never met a male so unpredictable. He was obnoxious, naïve, insecure even, but one thing he wasn't doing surprised her the most. He wasn't hiding anything. He wasn't wearing a mask. He was true and she couldn't help but stare at him with a blank expression.

Who was he?

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8**_

She was taught that everyone had something to hide in life and they worked desperately hard to keep it a secret. She had experienced this first hand many of times and she too had a closet filled with skeletons.

When she was younger, in her darker past, it was her duty to exploit these secrets from each target she had before destroying everything. There wasn't one person who didn't hide something, until now.

'Redhead' Shanks.

He shattered her theory with little effort and showed her that there was someone in this world who didn't hide anything. If he did, he didn't fear his secrets, at all. The thought caught Liza off guard but at the same time it intrigued her.

Liza smirked at the redhead and stood up from her sitting position. "Very well then. This is a draw, Straw Hat." Liza stated and Richard stared at her in disbelief. That was it? She wasn't going to argue? She wasn't going to insist to continue this contest?

"It's for the better anyway. If you died, then I wouldn't be able to challenge you again. Be proud. You're the first to ever survive a drinking contest with me," Liza proudly stated and Shanks let out a loud laugh.

"Likewise, Liza-chan. You're one amazing woman! Right, men?!" Shanks yelled back at his men and they all cheered while lifting up their mugs. Liza stared at them before she burst out laughing, and shook her head.

"And you're the biggest, innocent, naive idiot that I've ever met" She said and the crew burst out laughing while Shanks pouted childishly. "But, you're intriguing, I'll give you that" She added with a small smirk and Shanks grinned at her.

"Say, Liza, why don't you sing us a song?" Benn asked before he inhaled his cigarette again and Liza glanced at him. She wasn't in the best position now to sing. She just competed in a drinking contest. Drinking and singing didn't go very well together.

"Not this time. Maybe be next time I'll give you a performance but not tonight" Liza said and all the men whined in disapproval. Richard merely shook his head at the men and went to the back to put away the barrel of wine.

"Aww, come on, Liza-chan! Just one song!"

Liza shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "No, means no, Straw Hat. Like I said, maybe next time. That pleading face of yours will also not persuade me" Liza added and Shanks pouted childishly.

"I just wanted to hear one more song before we leave tomorrow" Shanks moaned and let his head fall onto the bar counter. Liza's brows furrowed at the pirate's statement and a small frown came onto her lips. He was leaving already?

"Stop whining like a child, you're a grown man" Mihawk disapprovingly snapped at Shanks and finished up with his glass of wine. "We were to leave eventually and we can always come back again" He finished and noticed the sad gleam that passed through Liza's eyes.

"I see. You're leaving soon. Just be sure to drink enough before you set out on your journey. Keep an eye out for the marines. They have a way to do regular patrolling. The best way to escape unseen is using the pathway behind my bar," Liza explained and Shanks's eyes widened.

"You'll let us use your bar as an escape route, Liza?" Mihawk asked with a eyebrow raised in curiosity. She, a pirate herself, would not only warn them but also offer her bar as an escape route. What kind of pirate would do that?

"Yes, see it as a tip from one pirate to another" Liza said and gave them a grin. "Besides, I found a liking in you crazy bunch. Feel free to come visit anytime you want to, but next time you're definitely paying" Liza pointed out with a playful serious expression.

"Hey, Liza-chan..." Shanks murmured softly and Liza glanced at the male's blank facial expression. It was only brief before he gave her a wide grin. "How about you join my crew and become my musician?" He asked and everyone stared at him in disbelief.

Benn, however, let out a sigh and exhaled a long cloud of smoke. Mihawk stared at Shanks for a few second before he huffed. Liza stared at the male with a brief shocked expression before she burst out laughing making Shanks look at her in confusion.

"Sorry, Straw Hat, you're a hundred years too young to ask me to join your crew. I'm a lone pirate who just runs this bar in peace. Moreover, I wouldn't leave Richie alone. Try again next time" Liza waved him off and turned to walk towards the stairs leading to their rooms.

"Please, Liza-chan! We can go on a bunch of adventured together-" Liza gripped the railing of the staircase tightly and stopped dead in her tracks. "-and we can drink all the different booze we want!" Shanks tried to persuade her.

"You're a persistent once, Straw Hat, that's going to get you in trouble one day" Liza said in a peculiar dark tone but didn't glance back at Shanks. The joyful atmosphere in the bar dropped and it was suddenly cold inside.

Shanks looked at her with bewilderment, Benn stared at her with an impassive expression and Mihawk's brows furrowed. Her behavior changed drastically. He knew she wasn't wrong and that Shanks would get into trouble one day but she stated it in a dangerous tone almost as a warning.

"Hey, Richie, make sure they're out of here by morning! And don't give them any lethal alcohol that will have them passing out!" Liza called to her bartender and the male blinked a few times before his eyes widened.

"W-Wait! Where are you going, Liza-chan?"

"I'm going to rest for a bit. Don't bother me until it's time to work again on a new day!" Liza waved him off and walked upstairs. She let out a shaky sigh and let her right hand brush through her dark hair.

 _That idiot..._ Liza thought and stepped inside her room before she closed the door. _My loyalty was and still is with my past crew. No matter how much I wish to go out to those blue salt waters again, I will stay vested here on this island._

She sighed as she walked towards her window and stared out at the rowdy town. Night had already fallen over the island and the sea surrounding it. The stars sparkled beneath the few puffs of dark clouds in the sky.

How long had it been that she went to the beach? How long had it been that she touched and sat in the seawater? How long had it been since she sailed those seas? The thrill of fighting and being caught by the marines matched nothing in the entire world.

She missed those days...

Her usual live bright blue eyes dimmed ever so slightly and a gleam of sadness passed through her eyes. _I'll sail you again someday, Mighty Waters, and I'll conquer you. If it's through me or my next legacy._ Liza silently vowed before she turned away from the window.

A small smile came onto her face as she briefly closed her eyes. Her vow was so ironic and the chances of it ever coming true were zero to none. The dream she always wanted, was never going to come true. That was the saddest part of it all.

"There seems to be a lot on your mind, Liza. Such a beautiful face shouldn't be smoldered by negative emotions" A low voice husked and Liza's blue eyes shot open before they made contact with a pair of golden eyes.

"Mihawk..." Liza murmured softly and stared at the handsome male in the doorway. How did he get in? No, how did she not notice him until now? Surely she would've heard the door open up and feel him entering. Was she that deep in thought?

She noticed that he had a complete relaxed facial expression. He didn't wear his usual hat and his jacket was also missing. She had to admit, he looked much attractive that way. Wait, what? Where were her thoughts heading?

This was just like before. She didn't sense him entering her room and the tension from the previous day was back. How can one single man make her feel so vulnerable under his golden gaze? It was absurd!

"You really enjoy sneaking into places, Hawk-Eyes. One day, you might just step into a trap that can cause your death," Liza stated somehow finding her composure and a smirk came onto her lips. She enjoyed playing a game of tease with the male.

Mihawk chuckled and moved closer towards the female. "You underestimate me greatly, Red Menace. The death won't be mine but the one who dared to put a trap in my way" He husked and Liza snickered.

She took her own step forward and the distance between them divided once again. They were about a meter apart from each other and Liza found that his golden gaze started to get more intense as he got closer and as their conversation developed.

"Is that so, Hawk Eyes? Then I'll make sure to never set a trap for you. I wouldn't want my precious blood on your hands," Liza stated and Mihawk chuckled once again at the female's words. Liza smirked at the male and didn't dare take her eyes off him.

Before the sound of a glass being shattered reached her eyes and she groaned while letting her head fall. They were breaking down her bar! Didn't she tell Richard to keep an eye on everything? Honestly, did she have to do everything herself?

"Those guys-""Leave them be" Mihawk said ad Liza gave him a blank look. "They're always like that and even with you there, they won't change. You can just order the money for repairs if they broke anything" Liza huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Like hell I will, though it won't be fair after I said that they can drink on the house." Liza sighed and let her shoulders slump. She would just have to pay everything out of her pockets. She glanced back up at Mihawk and saw him eye her with his lips quirking upwards.

"What? Do I have something on my face? You know that staring is rude, right?" Liza asked and a smirk covered her lips. However, Mihawk never ceased from looking at her. It made her slightly uncomfortable and warm at the same time.

"I staring at such a beauty is rude then I don't have any manners" Mihawk husked and Liza's eyes widened. This guy... She tried to avert her eyes by turning her head away from him to hide her blush but he gently grabbed her chin.

"Mihawk, I..." Liza was cut off when his lips pressed against her own. Her eyes briefly widened at the action but a warm sensation washed over her and her eyes fluttered shut. The kiss was full of passion and it made her a bit disorientated.

How can one male be such a good kisser? He angled her chin a bit differently and Liza somehow found her arms snaking around his neck. Mihawk's other hand rested on her lower back and he pulled her closer against him.

They broke the kiss to catch their breath and Mihawk rested his forehead against Liza's. She had a faint blush on her cheeks from the kiss but her blue eyes gleamed brightly. He could get lost in those ocean jewels.

"You're quite the kisser, Hawk-Eyes." Liza said, a bit out of breath but a smirk came onto her lips and a challenging gleam passed through her eyes. "It makes one wonder what else you're good at" As soon as those words left her mouth Mihawk chuckled, his hot breath on her face.

Liza felt her heartbeat speed up and involuntarily swallowed thickly. "How about I show you, Red Menace?" Mihawk husked in her ear and Liza bit her lip. Her body felt hot and she let out a shaky breath. What was this male doing to her? No man has ever taken advantage of her like this.

MIhawk crashed his lips onto hers once again but this time it was much more intense. He was hungrier for her taste. He could taste the alcohol that she drank earlier but behind all that, there was a sweet flavor that was both peculiar and pleasant...even addictive.

He pushed her against the wall of her room and Liza gasped out from the sudden action. This gave Mihawk time to kiss down her collarbone ad around her neck making her let out a stifle moan. Liza's fingers entangled themselves in his hair and pulled him in for another passionate kiss.

She tasted the good quality wine and almost groaned. A good kisser and a good taste in alcohol were almost too much of a turn on. She had to stop this now before it got out of hand or actually, more out of hand than it already was.

"M-Mihawk... W-Wait, we can't do this" Liza tried to break through to the male who was kissing down her collarbone once again. If he kept this up, she was going to melt from both the heat and his fiery kisses.

"Mihawk..." Liza managed to make him stop and he looked back up at her, his golden eyes preying on her. Liza resisted the urge to swallow thickly and ran a hand through her hair while sighing. She felt disappointed at herself for stopping but it was best this way.

"I don't do one-night stands, pirate. You're leaving tomorrow and I'm to stay here in hope that you might decide to come back. I'm sorry, but I don't work that way. I don't do one-time flings" Liza stated and Mihawk chuckled.

Liza suddenly felt very vulnerable under his gaze and he managed to push her more against the wall, if possible. Wasn't he listening to her? It definitely didn't look so. Maybe he was drunk so she needed to say it again.

"Don't worry, I'll come back for more"

Liza's eyes widened at his words and her heart even stopped for a moment. Mihawk crashed his lips onto hers once again and Liza was left to kiss him back almost more passionate. Drunk or not, who was she to argue with this handsome male?

After all, she was smitten.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9**_

 _ **In the present, on Gloom Island...**_

The island was hidden beneath a grayish fog and not much could be seen. The building ruins were hidden beneath the misty cloud but if one would look closely enough, they could see a castle standing high in the middle of the island.

Sounds of metal hitting metal echoed through the deadly silent forest of the island and mocking sounds of baboons could be heard near the castle. One strike of a sword had the entire island shaking and before it could recover, there were more clashes with swords.

A green haired swordsman, Zoro Roronoa, fought against the master of all the other baboons. The Master Humandrill who learned how to use his sword by copying what the strongest swordsman, Mihawk Dracule.

Zoro gritted his teeth as he jumped back and the grip on the sword in his mouth tightened. He spun his two swords in his grip and stepped into a stance. His eyes shone with determination and despite his body's aching fatigue, he continued to fight on.

After all, he had to become stronger.

A pair of golden eyes watched the swordsman fight from a distance. He stood by one of the windows and carefully eyed the male. He could see bloodstains on the bandages that covered Zoro's body and that he was pushing himself beyond his limits once again.

Mihawk walked away with a huff and went to sit down on his chair. He quietly poured himself a glass of red wine and took a sip. He took the newspaper that neatly lay folded on his table and unfolded it before opening it up.

As usual, there were new wanted posters inside the newspaper as well as new pirates who received new rankings in the Grand Line. There were reports of the Worst Generation Pirates and where they were last seen but no one captured them yet.

There wasn't any interesting news that intrigued him. It resulted in him putting down the newspaper. His golden eyes caught sight of a familiar wanted poster and a peculiar emotion gleamed through his eyes.

Rosalie D. Bloodmoore.

The more he stared at the female's face, the more he spotted the resemblance between her and Liza. However, their blue eyes were the aspect that resembled the most. They both had strong blue eyes that shone with both pride and determination.

As he looked at Rosalie he felt a strange emotion within his chest and deep within the back of his mind he thought of how much he missed Liza. He missed her strong personality, her passion, her voice...everything about her. Once again it brought him to the question...

Did he regret what he did so long ago?

The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. He vowed to himself that he would never regret his choice but even so, the question always popped up. The question came to his mind even more frequently as he looked at Rosalie's photo.

Yet, he knew that if he didn't decide to continue on his path alone that Rosalie wouldn't be on the path she as on. He was sure things would be much different but he was also sure that he couldn't give Liza what she wanted the most.

He smirked and put down the wanted poster before he continued to drink his red wine. In the end, she did get what she wanted and her daughter was shaking the whole world with her emergence. He was sure that it wouldn't be long until the entire world was after her.

The Navy, Pirates, even the World Government.

If word came out that Rosalie was Shanks's daughter then an all out war would break out. It would result in a war raging on, just like with Ace. His smirk faltered and his brows furrowed. He put down his glass of wine and then stood up.

If a war broke out because of Rosalie and she had to be protected, then he had no choice but to abandon his duty as a Warlord. He already lost Liza, he was not going to lose her daughter too even if it meant going against the World Government.

Mihawk promised Liza long ago that if her wish came true that he would protect what was necessary. He was not going to go back on his vow but he did hope that he would find Rosalie before something like that happened.

The first time Shanks told Mihawk about Liza's daughter, he wanted to meet her. He was sure that she resembled her mother's strong and stubborn personality. He was also sure that she didn't let anyone rule her life.

After all, she became a pirate and left her Navy life. It was quite a wise choice in his opinion. He knew that if she stayed with the Navy any longer that she would've been exterminated without anyone even knowing about her existence. By becoming a pirate, she turned the world upside down.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he put on his hat and walked towards the exit of the room. He exited the room without another sound and walked down the hall of his castle. His golden eyes were piercing and his smirk was smoldering.

 _'Red Menace'?_ Mihawk thought and amusement filled his piercing golden eyes. _I hope to meet you soon, Rosalie, daughter of the first Red Menace._ Mihawk briefly stopped in the hall and stared out of the window he stood at.

 _The Red Menace, who was the first to steal my heart..._

* * *

 _ **The next morning in Liza's timeline...**_

Liza was fast asleep and enjoyed the bit of solitude and rest that she was having. This was one of the best things she did. Sleep. It was just her and the peaceful darkness and all of the sudden, a bright light that blinded her.

Liza groaned as she slowly reached consciousness and buried her face into the pillow. That burning light was the morning sun waking her up. She could feel her head pounding ever so slightly and let out a deep sigh.

 _There's no use in trying to sleep now. You're awake, Liza._ She told herself and opened her eyes. She pushed herself up into a sitting position with tired arms and her blue eyes stared at her pillow. How she wished she could go back to sleep...

She decided to climb out of the bed and started to get ready for her day. After all, laying in the bed won't bring in money for her bar. Despite knowing that Richard could also attend to the customers need, she still helped him.

She yawned and stretched her stiff limbs before her blue eyes noticed a piece of paper on her cupboard. _Please not a bill. Please not a bill. Please not a bill._ She picked up the paper and noticed it was a letter. Liza mentally sighed in relief that it wasn't a bill before she stared at the paper.

 _My dear Red Menace,_

 _It is with great unpleasantness that I leave you. I have business to finish off in the Grand Line and it is of great importance that we part now. I shall return when I am finished and then we can continue where we left off. Keep safe._

 _See you soon.  
Hawk-Eyes_

Liza didn't even notice the small smile that came onto her lips and also the blush that rushed onto her cheeks. She felt her lips tingle a bit, as she remembered the heated kisses from the previous night and felt her body heat up once more.

She quickly shoved the letter into the first drawer of her cupboard and cleared her throat. She turned to herself in the mirror and nodded. There was no time for her to get distracted. She had to stay focused and continue her daily life.

She didn't know if Mihawk was telling the truth or just comforting her with a lie. Either way, she wasn't going stop disrupt her own thoughts or routines for one male. If he returned, she would take things from there.

That was _if_ he returned.

Deciding that it was best to change, Liza quickly dressed in her usual clothing and grabbed her hat. She put it on and gave herself a confident smirk in the mirror before she stepped out of her room. She was motivated for the day.

Liza was sure that she had to clean up the mess of the previous night and hoped that Richard was already busy. If she didn't have the wrong time, then it was almost time for the bar to open up and there were still much to do.

She had to check on their stock of alcohol and make sure to restock on everything. Their supplies should arrive in little less than a week but she didn't know if she had the current funds to pay for the new alcohol. After all, they spend most of their money on repairs.

 _Cursed pirates! If only they didn't piss me off so much then I wouldn't be in such a pinch right now!_ Liza angrily thought as she reached the end of the stairs. She stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes widened.

The bar...was spotless.

All the chairs and tables were cleaned and neatly put in place. The floor was spotless and there was no sign of a filthy mug or even an empty bottle. She expected that the place would be a mess but instead, it was spotless. Didn't she have that partying crew the previous night?

Or was it all a dream?

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10**_

"Oh, Morning, Liza-chan! Did you sleep well?" Richard asked as he came out of the kitchen with a drying cloth on his shoulder. Liza noted that he seemed almost too cheerful for working so hard to clean the bar.

"Fine, thank you... Did you do all this?" Liza asked as she pointed at the spotless bar. "You must've gotten up early to get this all cleaned and not to mention to throw out all the empty bottles!" Richard chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I didn't do all of this alone. Shanks had some of his men help me out early this morning just before they left" Richard replied and Liza gave him a look of disbelief. Shanks sent out some of his men to help clean her bar? That sounded ridicules! At least she knew that it wasn't all a dream now.

"It's true, Liza-chan. He didn't want you to wake up and cleaned all of the mess his men made. He said if they made a mess, they clean it themselves. They're quite responsible when it comes to things like that" Richard said and walked towards the bar counter.

"I can't believe it... That Straw Hat idiot can actually do something decent! Well, that and he's quite a good fighter" Liza said and gave Richard a small smile. "I take it they left then?" Richard nodded and reached something below the counter.

"It's better that way. I'm sure the marines will be arriving sooner or later. They always do" Liza grumbled out the last bit under her breath and rolled her eyes. She already felt irritated by just thinking about the marines.

"Can you blame them? It is their job... Ah, I found it! Here you do, Liza-chan. Shanks told me to give this for you and it also comes with this medium sized box" Richard said and gave Liza an envelope and she raised a curios eyebrow.

"For me? Are you sure?" Richard nodded and Liza let out a sigh. What was it with the men and letters? They could've just said all the things to her in person. Liza opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.

 _Yo, Liza_

 _First, I'd like to thank you for the great time we had at your bar! It was some of the best parties we've ever had! We'll be sure to come back, especially since we have that rematch. I hope we see each other soon. Also, I hope the little gift helps a bit. I can't let you pay for our expenses._

 _Take care  
Shanks_

Liza glanced up from the letter and noticed the small box. Realization dawned upon her and she cursed aloud. _Please don't tell me he actually..._ Liza grabbed the box and opened it only to be briefly blinded by a golden shine.

"That bastard! He actually did! When I get my hands on him, he's dead!" Liza growled out as she stared at the gold coins that filled the box. Richard's eyes were wide while Liza crushed the letter in her grasp. She snapped around and Richard jumped slightly in surprise.

"Richard, when did they leave this bar?! You better answer me quick or you'll be running around this island with two barrels tied to your back!" Liza threatened and Richard paled. He didn't want to feel her wrath.

"A-About an hour ago. They were still stocking up on a few supplies when they left" Richard quickly answered and Liza's blue eyes briefly widened. He coughed when his wind was knocked out from the box filled with gold coins.

"I want you to go to their ship and give this back to them. Tell him that I refuse to take his money, no matter what he says, because I agreed to give them a free party. I refuse to take his payment" Liza said and Richard's brows furrowed.

"Are you sure about this, Liza-chan? This can solve our money problem and we should have enough to even order some more alcohol seeing as we're low on stock" Richard tried to persuade but Liza shook her head.

"No, go give the money back. Hurry before they leave!" Liza snapped at the male and Richard briefly paled. He quickly nodded and rushed into the kitchen before he exited the backdoor. Liza sighed in relief and went to sit down.

"Hopefully, he'll make it in time..." She softly murmured to herself and rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. She knew that he meant well, but she was stubborn and she had her pride. She kept by her word and therefore refused to accept the money.

She lost the bet, fair and square...so why did that idiot give her money? Was he showing pity? Was he showing kindness? What was he thinking? She couldn't figure him out at all and it frustrated her to no end.

Liza glanced down at her hand and noticed that she still had the letter in her grasp. She opened up the damaged paper and looked at his handwriting. According to him he was going to return but she felt the same way with Mihawk.

Seeing is believing, and when she saw then return, then she would believe them. After all, if you expect something from someone you're bound to be disappointed. It was one of the hardest lessons she learned but the pain of that lesson had subsided by now, along with most of the memories.

"The Marines!" A male voice yelled out in a high pitch and Liza immediately crushed the letter in her hand. "The Marines are here!" Liza cursed underneath her breath and quickly stuffed away the letter in one of the unused drawers.

 _I really don't have the strength for this..._ Liza's eyes widened and she looked back at the door leading to the back. _You better hurry your asses, Straw Hat, or you'll be caught before you can drink another drop of alcohol at my bar._ She thought and hoped that Richard would reach them fast.

A bell rang through her empty bar and her blue eyes narrowed. The front door of the bar opened and a very familiar face walked through with his men following. Liza's face turned impassive and she stared the Marine down.

"Well, if it isn't Garp. To what do I owe this wonderful visit, Marine?" Liza asked with a snap in her tone. Having wanted men and pirates in her bar was fine but she despised the Navy. As soon as they entered her bar, she felt her stomach contract.

"Long time no see, Bloodmoore! I see this place is still standing and there aren't too many repairs done this time" Garp pointed out as he walked towards the counter and sat down. His men still stood but Garp relaxed. He even took his hat off.

"Stop kissing ass, Garp. Why are you here? I thought I told you that having the Navy here would give me bad publicity for customers." Liza stated as she pulled out a mug and walked over towards a barrel.

"Ha! All costumers you have are criminals! It won't be so bad if they don't come here. It'll mean the people are less in danger that way," Garp said and Liza slammed the mug filled with beer in front of Garp making his men jump slightly.

"There aren't only criminals that drink here. Some of the townsfolk also drink here and for your information, the boys who drink here don't ever lay a hand on they people outside. If they did, they'd had to go through me," Liza sternly said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Playing a game of justice, are we?"

"Well, it's time someone did it. You're all too stuck up in the asses of the forsaken World Government that you slack on the job. You're more worried about your reputation than people's lives" Liza spat out in disgust and Garp's men glared at the female.

One of the men put a hand on his gun and wanted to pull it out. However, a knife cut the skin of his hand as it flew by and impaled the wooden table next to him. He yelled out in pain and surprise before he looked back at Liza's deadly glance.

"Next time, you'll lose your hand." She threatened in a dark tone and the men looked at her with wide eyes. They never even saw her move! What the hell was with this woman?! Whatever it was, they weren't going to mess with her until Garp ordered them to.

"How dare you-""Enough. Go outside, I'll meet you all out there when I'm done. That's an order" Garp stated in an demanding tone and the men complied. The male who had his hand cut gave Liza an intense glare before he too exited the bar.

"Liza, you should know better than to attack a marine. You can get yourself in a lot of trouble and I don't want to get the scolding because I dragged you out of it again" Garp said and took a large gulp of his beer.

"First of all, no one draws a weapon out in my bar. Second of all, I don't need you to help me when I get in trouble anyway. I can take care of myself" Liza forcefully stated and her blue eyes glared at the male sitting on the opposite side of the bar counter.

Garp let out a sigh as he put down his mug. His expression hardened and he looked back at Liza. "I wish you would stop being so stubborn, Liza. Did you forget that if I didn't save you all those years ago, you would've died?" Garp pointed out and Liza gritted her teeth while looking away.

"You just had to bring that up... No, Garp, I haven't forgotten. However, there are some days I wished you left me there to die. Then I could at least join my crew and rest in peace rather than to tread on the Earth filled with guilt" Liza said and sat down with a deep sigh.

"Liza, what happened five years ago wasn't your fault. There's no need to feel guilty. Look at what you did in five years! You built your own bar, which is quite successful, and you live on every day without breaking the agreement we had even once," Garp said and Liza rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, and it's not an easy job. Do you know how some of these idiots irritate me? It would be much easier to shut them up permanently than to just beat them up" Liza pointed out and Garp burst out laughing while she smirked.

"You haven't changed at all"

"Neither have you, Garp. Now spill the beans! Why are you here? Did you find out some new information on some of the new rookies out there?" Liza asked as she took Garp's mug and refilled it before she gave it to him.

"Yes, that's why I'm here. There's this new rookie who was on Roger's crew and he started his own crew not too long ago. He calls himself, 'Redhead' Shanks, have you ever heard of him?" Garp asked and Liza raised an eyebrow.

She knew exactly what Garp was trying to do. He was trying to get information out of her but was not going to work. He may have done a lot to save her life long ago, but her pirate pride was still alive and she wasn't going to sell out the Straw Hat or even Hawk-Eyes.

"On the Pirate King's ship, eh? He sounds like quite a guy but no, I have no clue who that is. Anyone else that made the top ranking out there?" Liza asked and noticed Garp's eyebrows twitch. She was mocking him in her own way.

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is. His name's Mihawk Dracule, one of the most powerful swordsman out there. He also goes by the name, 'Hawk-Eyes'. Here are two posters of them" Garp handed her the two papers and she stared at the photos.

She let out a whistle and her eyes widened in exaggeration. "Look at those bounties! How dangerous are these rookies? I didn't even have a bounty like this when I was out in the seas" Liza pointed out and put down the posters onto the table.

"No, yours was higher" Garp stated and Liza blinked a few times before she chuckled. Yes, her bounty was higher... "Are you sure you didn't see them? Because I heard rumors of them being on this island and drinking at your bar"

Liza played with one of the wanted posters and hummed. "Oh? Really? Damn, looks like I need to pay more attention to these kind of things. The last two days my bar has been packed and I can't notice all the wanted men inside. Besides, if they were here they would probably be gone by now."

"Yes, my men are searching the island as we speak" Garp said and Liza silently prayed that Straw Hat left already. "Well, that's all. If you see them, let me know. You know where to find me" He gulped down the last of his beer and stood up.

"Yeah, but I prefer not to go there. I might just beat up a few of your soldiers when they get on my nerves" Liza said and Garp burst out laughing again. He put on his cap and walked towards the door while Liza kept her blue gaze on him.

"I know you will. Keep well, Liza" With those words, Garp left her bar and took his marines with him. As soon as she was sure that they were all gone, she let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding.

"Liza-chan!" Richard's voice reached her ears and her eyes snapped towards the male who came rushing through the back. He was out of breath, covered in sweat and still holding that box from before.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't make it time! By the time I came there, they were already sailing out to the sea." Richard said and expected Liza to be angry. Instead, she gave him a small smile and shook her head, surprising the male.

"No, it's quite alright, Richie. As long as they're safe and on their way off this island, I don't care about the money. The Navy's here and it's best if they escaped." Liza said and Richard blinked a few times before he smiled back at her.

"Yeah, you're right. At least now, we can use the money for our new supplies and even for a few upgrades. What do you think, Liza-chan?" Richard asked and saw the dark haired female smile deep in thought.

"That's a great idea, Richie, but we can talk about that later. After all, we have a bar to open up, don't we?" Liza said and Richard grinned while nodding. He went upstairs with the money and Liza let out a sigh.

She climbed off her chair and went to change the sign of 'Closed' to 'Open'. She turned around and her blue eyes caught sight of the piano standing on the stage. She huffed and walked towards the bar counter as her thoughts whispered something softly.

 _I hope I'll see them again._

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11**_

 _ **Two years later...**_

The sound of crates being loaded onto a carriage came from the seaside near the harbor of The Conquest Line. The sun shone down on the workers without mercy and the blue sky had a pair of blue orbs that rivaled it.

"Load 'em up, boys! We only have a few more left!" Liza called her men who were still busy unloading crates from a large ship. Liza, who had a barrel on each shoulder, put the barrels onto the back of of carriage and let out a sigh.

"Now we should have enough for a while." Liza thought aloud as she dusted off her hands. She made sure to order more in hope that her stock would last longer. However, she had a feeling that it wasn't going to last long at all.

Over the two years, her business got more popular and some of the local bars even close up because of her bar. After another business next door closed, she bulldozed the place and extended her bar, giving her opportunity to receive more income.

She was able to be the chef to serve the costumers with decent food and she hired another bartender to help. Even with Richard helping him, things were incredibly busy. She never thought her bar would be so popular buts he was content.

It was one of her dreams that was fulfilled.

"Hey, Liza-chan! I think that's the last of them!" Richard called from the ship before he jumped up. The men behind him loaded the last barrels and he whistled at the amount. "Geez, Liza-chan. Don't you think that's a bit much?"

Liza pulled out her wallet and paid her deliverer before glanced back at Richard. "Of course not. Ever since we expanded, we've been using more stock than usual. Besides, you never know when a large crew can walk in and party like there's no tomorrow" Liza pointed out and Richard chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Richard replied before he noticed Liza staring out to the sea again. Her blue eyes always had a way to rival the clear seawater. A peculiar gleam flashed through her eyes and his face softened. "Are you thinking about them again, Liza-chan?" Liza briefly closed her eyes.

"You should know that I don't think about them, Richie. It's been two years already and they haven't returned once. Let's face it, they're not coming back" Liza said and enjoyed the salty breeze that brushed through her long hair.

"Besides, they're pirates. They should live their free lives sailing on the ocean. I don't expect them to return when their hearts should be conquering the sea" Liza said and caught glance of a white speck on the clear water.

"Don't say that, Liza-chan! They'll come back! They said that they'll come back so we just have to be patient for that day to come." Richard said and Liza looked back at the male. She chuckled and turned her back to the free waters.

"You know, Richie, sometimes I want to beat that positivity right out of you" Liza said and Richard swallowed thickly. "But then I realize that I can't live without it. I need that little positivity to get through the day" Richard let out a relieved sigh until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Also, you might want to spare some of that positive attitude" Liza said then took her hand off his shoulder and jumped onto the front of the carriage. Richard blinked a few times before he gave her a baffled expression.

"What do you mean by that?" Richard asked as he jumped in next to her and grabbed the ropes of the horses. Why would he need to spare his positive attitude when he was always positive? There was nothing that could break him...

"The Whitebeard Pirates will be here soon" Liza said and Richard's face immediately fell, his positivity completely gone. "Oh, don't be like that, Richie! See why I said that you need to spare some of that positive attitude?"

"Are you kidding me? That's probably the pirate group that drinks, parties and eats the most! Not to mention they always get into fights! Please tell me that you're joking..." Richard pleaded her but Liza laughed.

"No joke, Richard. I spotted his ship on its way here. At least it's only one and not some of his units as well. I don't think I'll even survive that" Liza said and crossed her arms behind her head as they started to ride back into town.

"Besides, it's not _that_ bad. We should have enough money if they break a few tables and chairs. Moreover, Whitebeard pays up a bit more when they wreck havoc" Liza pointed out and Richard snorted while giving Liza a skeptical look.

"It's not them I'm worrying about, Liza-chan. You're the one who always start the fights and it results in walls, windows, chairs and tables breaking. We don't have money for all the repairs" Richard stated and received a glare from Liza.

Richard yelped after he received a hard hit on his head and Liza grabbed the ropes of the horses with an angry huff. Richard held the bump on his head that throbbed in pain and tears formed in the corner of his eyes.

"You know what, Richie, I'll take the fight outside from now on. How does that sound?" She bitterly stated and gave him another glare. "Besides, it's not my fault they piss me off but I'll try not to break anything" Richard sweat dropped slightly.

"I-I'm sorry! P-Please don't hit me!" A soft voice pleaded in a panicked tone and the two riding the carriage brought their attention towards the front of 'Dine and Dash'. A large male, who had muscles all over his body, held a small male.

"He got in trouble, again? Seriously? Is this kid a trouble magnet?" Liza asked as she stopped the carriage and handed the ropes to Richard. He shook his head in response and watched as Liza jumped off the seat onto the floor.

"Don't beat them up too hard, Liza-chan!" Richard quickly said towards the dark haired female and she groaned. She waved him off and wondered why he would always say that. She couldn't have any fun or it would be a crime.

"Hey, leave the kid alone. Didn't anyone ever teach you to pick on someone your own size?" Liza spoke up and drew the attention of the males in the scene in front of her. The smaller male, who was in danger, looked at Liza.

Aston Holt  
Bartender at 'Dine and Dash'  
Former servant boy

"Liza-san! You're back early" He said and gave her a nervous laugh. He could already see that she wasn't pleased with what she saw. Liza let out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest. _What am I going to do with him?_

"Yes, we loaded up faster than I thought we would. What are you doing getting yourself into trouble again, kid? Do you want a short lifespan?" Liza asked and Aston shook his head before he averted his eyes to the ground in shame.

"Hey, we're right here. Who do you think you are to interrupt my beating?" The larger male holding Aston spoke up and he narrowed his eyes at Liza. She, however, was indifferent towards the threatening look and walked towards the door of her bar.

"I'm the owner of this bar and his boss. If you have any queries with him, you'll have to sort it out with me first." Liza said and unlocked her bar. Aston grunted as he was roughly thrown onto the ground and the larger male stomped over towards Liza.

"Then you're the one I was looking for. This little squirt said dared to say that his boss would be able to beat me without even breaking a sweat." The larger male stated and Liza glanced at Aston with a deep frown.

"I-I'm sorry! He was going on and on about how strong he was and he was even beating up the men who walked passed him!" Aston defended himself and swallowed thickly at the intense look Liza gave him.

Liza then turned back towards the larger male and looked up at him. "I'm not angry that you said the truth, Kid. You just need to learn to fight your own battles. I can't beat up every buffoon that beats up anyone who he wants to" Liza said and Aston's eyes widened.

"What did you call me?!"

The male slammed his fist down onto Liza and there was a brief explosion of smoke around them. Aston's face contorted into an expression of horror while Richard sighed. He started to unpack the barrels and didn't even glance at the scene. He already knew what was going on.

"Alright, Captain! You got her good!" One of the men exclaimed behind the larger male and he smirked in victory. "Now she won't be able to say anything cocky out of that mouth of hers again!" He continued to boast.

"Oh dear, it seems that you think you're victor even before I kick your ass" Liza's voice reached their ears and their eyes widened in shock. The smoke started to clear and they all watched in shock as Liza blocked his fist with her arm.

"The only ones cocky here, are you" Liza threw his arm up and smashed her knee in his stomach sending him flying backwards. His men staggered back and they looked at her in disbelief. How is she still standing after a blow like that?!

"Now, if you'll excuse me I have a business to run and you're scaring away my costumers" Liza said and turned her back towards the male before she opened the door of her bar. "Go and get ready, Kid, I'm opening now" Aston quickly nodded and scurried inside.

"You wench..." The larger male angrily growled as he wiped away the blood that ran from his mouth. No one has ever been able to injure him or survive his lethal punch but this woman did. How was that possible? There were only very few who could handle his strength.

"Liza-chan! Where can I put there barrels? I don't think all of them can fit inside the cellar. Maybe we should put some in the kitchen" Richard said and Liza tapped on her chin as she pondered on the thought.

"That's fine, but we should think about expanding the cellar too. I didn't think that we'd run out of space so easily..." Liza trailed off and Richard sweat dropped. They did expand. It was only natural that they would run out of space to store the alcohol.

"I see now" Liza looked back at the larger male from before and she gave him an irritated look. He picked himself off the ground and gave Liza a smirk that made her brows twitch. He was suddenly busting with confidence again.

"You're still here?"

"Of course I'm still here!" He snapped with a vein briefly throbbing out of his temple. "You think I'm going to give up that easily?" Liza gave him a look that answered his question and he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Well, I won't! Especially not to a retired pirate" He said and Liza gave him a bored look. She expected him to come up with a better insult. "You're that Bloodmoore woman also known as the Red Menace, are you not?"

His men gasped and their eyes widened in horror. She was _the_ Red Menace? There was no way that she could be that monster. They heard stories about her brutality but one day she just left piracy and they never heard stories about her again.

"Y-You're kidding, Captain! T-The real Red Menace?!" One of his men exclaimed. "They said that she brutally kills her target and paints a pirate symbol with their blood! She never fails to kill anyone and no one has ever lived when they angered her!"

"I am, what of it?" Liza said with a behavior of indifference and noticed some of the people stopping to watch the scene. Richard also stopped loading the barrels and narrowed his eyes at the large male. He didn't like the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I knew it. However, I expected much more from an infamous pirate, not a softy who served drinks in her own bar. That's a little pathetic, don't you think? You retired from your killer lifestyle just for this?" He asked and Liza gave him a devious smirk.

"Well, if I killed all the bastards like you in the world, there would only be a handful left to roam the rest of the earth." Liza replied and they growled at her. She turned her back towards him and went to open the door of her bar.

"You're not as frightening as they say in stories at all. You're just another weak wench who couldn't even save her own crew from the Navy" Liza stopped dead in her tracks and the larger male smirked when he saw that she reacted on his words.

"Then, to crown it all, you leave your life of crime and decide to live in a dump like this after you stroke a deal with the Navy to spare your pathetic life. Now, you play like you're so indestructible but you couldn't even save your own comrades" He sneered in disgust.

A tense atmosphere formed in the air and a shadow fell over Liza's eyes to hide her blue orbs. She gritted her teeth and clenched her one fist around the handle of the door. She could feel anger burst through her veins and veins throbbed out of her temple.

Screams of men being slaughtered entered her mind and images of old comrades being killed flashed through her thoughts. A menacing aura surrounded her and everyone suddenly felt on edge while the Captain's smirk slightly faltered.

Liza's one hand gripped a dagger that was sheathed in a side pocket of her pants. The grip was so hard that she almost drew blood. She glared back at the Captain with dark blue eyes and with the intent to slaughter.

The Captain gasped in fear along with his men. He staggered back with a pale face. His blood ran cold and he started to sweat bullets. The sinister atmosphere was choking him and it felt like she already stabbed him with her dagger.

"Get lost"

Her words were cold and they cut through the men. The Captain gasped once again while his men ran off in fear. The Captain soon found the strength through his shaking body and ran away, right behind his men.

Liza watched his retreating figure until he was out of sight and loosened her grip on her dagger. The menacing atmosphere vanished and her once dark blue eyes turned back to their light color. Liza let out a sigh and finally turned the doorknob.

"I'll send the kid to come and help you carry those in" Liza told Richard who still stood frozen at the carriage. He was also pale and had small trails of sweat running down the side of his. He gave her a small nod and watched as she walked inside the building.

It had been years since he last saw Liza's anger flare like that. She always got angry but that type of anger was nothing compared to the emotion she just showed. He knew that she had a painful past and that she never talked about it.

He also knew that if you brought it up that it would mean her either getting angry or she would immediately avoid it. There was another person who once came to challenge her in a match but he lost terribly and she literally scarred him after he insulted her.

Richard thought that there wouldn't be anyone stupid enough to ever do that again but he was wrong. He only hoped that there wouldn't be anyone else to anger Liza or she might just kill them without second thought and that would mean trouble.

It would mean she broke her promise.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12**_

It was a perfect day to sail on the ocean and an even better day to enjoy one's alcohol. After all, the wonderful day had to be celebrated. Too bad that some of the crewmates were already suffering from a hangover or they would've drank more.

"Boss! We finally made it!" A voice exclaimed on the deck of a large ship of the Redhead Pirates. He managed to spot the island not too far away from them and knew that the Captain would want to know that they arrived.

"We're there already? I can't believe we arrived here so quickly!" The voice of Shanks stated in a bit of disbelief and winced a bit when he came out in the bright sunlight. He didn't regret drinking that much the previous night but still... Why did the sun have to be so bright?

"We would've been here quicker if you didn't decide to take that detour." Benn stated as he came in next to Shanks who pouted childishly. He gave Benn a glare but his first mate brushed it off with the roll of his eyes.

"I can't help that adventure called me! Besides, we got a lot of gold on that island and they had great sake!" Shanks said with a wide grin and his men chuckled. He looked at the approaching island and his grin fell into a small smile.

"It's been two years. I wonder how Liza's doing. I hope she still has that sake we drank last time!" Shanks wondered aloud before he glanced at Benn. "You think she waited for us, Benn?" His first mate shrugged and looked at the island.

"Who knows? She may have even forgotten about us" Benn said and watched in amusement as Shanks's face contorted into one filled with horror. He chuckled and shook his head. "But it is Liza we're talking about. She didn't look like someone who would forget"

"Hey, don't say something like that with such a straight face!" Shanks scolded the male and his comrades laughed. Benn's eyes caught sight of a familiar ship that docked at the island and grabbed a pair of binoculars from one of the men.

"You might want to look at this, Shanks. It looks like we came at a bad time" Benn said and handed the binoculars to Shanks. The redhead raised an eyebrow before he looked at the dock using the binoculars.

"I don't see what's the prob-Oh, Whitebeard's here" Shanks corrected himself and his men exclaimed in shock. "Well, it can't be _that_ bad. As long as he doesn't pick a fight with me then we'll be fine"

"You're the one picking fights with him!"

"Oh? Really?" Shanks asked innocently and his men sweat dropped while Benn laughed. Shanks never changed at all. He was hopeless and at times he didn't always know what to do but he was strong with a good heart.

That's why they followed him.

* * *

 _ **At Dine and Dash bar...**_

"Order up!" Liza exclaimed as she came out of the kitchen and put the plates on the bar counter. The drinking men inside the bar all hummed at the amazing aroma that came from the food. Aston quickly grabbed the plates to serve them and they all cheered.

Liza watched as they took one bite and for once didn't spit the food out. It had to be a good sign. She had to admit that she didn't make the best food and there was a time when they would keel over from her food.

"This is...actually not bad! Well done, Liza! You made edible food! Or was it someone else?" One of the men asked while the others around him snickered. Liza gave him a smirk of amusement and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, I made that. It looks like following the recipe works. Who would've thought?" Liza said and everyone inside the bar sweat dropped while the other half exclaimed in disbelief. Did that mean that she improvised the other times? What did she put in the food?

Liza caught sight of Richard who sat quietly at the bar counter. There was a journal in front of him and he seemed deep in thought as he scribbled inside it. Liza raised an eyebrow and walked towards the male.

"Is this what you do when you actually need to work?" Liza asked and watched in amusement as Richard fell off his chair with a soft yelp. Everyone laughed at him in result and Richard blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't scare me like that, Liza-chan!" Richard stated and went to sit back on his chair with a sigh. He closed his leather-covered journal and looked back at the dark haired female. "I just wanted to look at something and besides, we're not as busy as we usually are. Aston can handle this"

"You really think that kid can handle even this? Look at him! He's a clumsy mess." Liza pointed at the younger male who spilled the drinks at the table he served. Aston apologized and scurried off to get a cloth along with new drinks.

Richard sweat dropped and turned slightly blue underneath his one eye. "U-Uh, I see. I'm sorry, Liza-chan. I'll get back to work immediately. Though, you should consider training Aston a bit" Richard said and Liza let out a sigh.

"Yeah, I should probably, but how difficult can serving customers drinks and food be? I did it since I was practically seven years old. I guess not everyone can do the simplest things" Liza said and Richard chuckled.

"Well, not everyone is as skilled as you are and people differ a lot." Richard said as he filled two mugs with beer and served a table of pirates. "Besides, he's still a bit shaken since he's new and it would be good if you two bonded a bit"

"Richie, I'm his boss. There's no way that I'm going to bond with him. What do you think I am, a dog? Moreover, he's been working here for a year already. He should be used to things by now" Liza pointed out and Richard nodded.

"I know, but it took me a while to get used to these working circumstances. Only working six days a week and have a boss with quite the temper. Also some of the customers are really hard to handle since they're very intimidating" Richard said and paled when he saw Liza glare at him.

"What about my temper?" She questioned and Richard was astonished how that was the only thing she heard him say. At least he didn't add that she was one of the people in the bar who was always intimidating.

"I'll imagine I didn't hear you say that, Richie." Richard let out a relieved sigh and then noticed Liza's far off look. "I just wish the kid can fight his own battles. He keeps getting into trouble and we always have to get him out of it. Maybe I need to train him so he can man up a bit."

"Yeah, dead man up a bit..." Richard silently muttered underneath his breath but still received a glare from Liza. "I-I mean, it's a great idea, Liza-chan! As long as you don't kill him, that is" Liza huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"I'm not that horrible teacher!"

The bell of the bar suddenly rang when the door was opened up and the entire bar went silent at the newcomers. Liza and Richard's attention was immediately drawn to the large male in the doorway and Liza smirked.

"Well, well, well, look what the tide dragged in. It's been quite a while, Newgate" Liza greeted the older male, Whitebeard who stood tall inside the bar and he smirked. He had a few of his commanders by his side as well as a few comrades of him.

"When you're sailing on the open water it isn't that long, Liza. I see you expanded the place a bit but it's still too small" Whitebeard said with mocking stare and Liza huffed. He only wanted to make it bigger so his entire crew could fit in. Like that was ever going to happen.

"Enough with the small talk, Newgate. Did you come all the way to see me and talk about my bar or did you want something else?" Liza asked while Aston walked out of the kitchen. His eyes widened in shock and he stood frozen. There was actually a living legend inside the bar.

Whitebeard laughed and gave Liza wide grin that she knew all too well. He would always grin that way when he came inside her bar. She also knew that grin from the times her crew and she faced off against the strongest man in the world but always lost miserably.

"You're arrogance is as amusing as always, young brat. I came here to get a few barrels of your finest sake. We won't be staying long on this island. We're going to get a few new supplies and then leave" Whitebeard stated and Liza nodded.

"Aston!" The young male jumped slightly and looked at Liza. "Go get the barrels in the kitchen and have some of Newgate's men help you" Liza ordered and he nodded. Newgate sent a few of his men to help out the youngster and Liza sat down behind the bar counter.

"Newgate, I heard you claimed the Fishman Island as your territory. It must've been interesting. Did you come by anything else on your travels?" Liza asked with mild curiosity and a nostalgic smile came onto her lips. Whitebeard grunted as his men came out with a few barrels.

"Yes, I've made dependable allies there and its mine to protect now. Other than that, there isn't anything new. But, if you sailed those waters I'm sure that you'd find something interesting. You can always still join me" Newgate said and the entire bar exclaimed in shock.

Whitebeard offered her a place on his ship?!

Liza scoffed and rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. "What would I be then? Your daughter? I do appreciate the offer but I'm not sailing the salt water again anytime soon. I'm content with my life now" Liza said and Whitebeard huffed in response.

"We're all children of the sea. You shouldn't bluff yourself like that, Liza. We both know that your heart yearns for the sea. You have a thirst for adventure just like you've always had" Whitebeard said and Liza let out a heavy sigh.

"We always seem to trod back to this conversation when you come here, Newgate. I'm surprised you haven't given up on talking to me about it. You're quite persistent." Liza said and Whitebeard laughed.

"I'll continue until you accept my offer, Liza. You'll make a great asset to my crew and the government is threatened by you. You shouldn't lay down and let them control you like a puppet" Whitebeard said and Liza's brows furrowed slightly.

"Pops, where should we put this?" One of Whitebeard's men asked and resulted in Liza and Whitebeard glancing back at him. Liza noticed that he was a new recruit but she also felt a tug at the bottom of her stomach.

He was fairly big despite being young. His hair and beard was black and a pistol was sheathed in the side of his pants. He held a barrel on his right shoulder and a few of the other men stood behind him, each with one or two barrels in hand.

"You can put those in the bunker, Teach"

"Teach? I knew I didn't recognize him. Is he a new recruit of yours, Newgate? Or new son? It would be more correct to say that" Liza murmured the last part but she never took her eyes off the male. She could see that he had two pair of metal claws attached to his pants on the opposite side.

"He isn't that new. He's been part of this crew for a while now but the last time we were here you didn't meet him. He was with my other commanders. He's a scheming brat but he's definitely not weak" Whitebeard said and Liza briefly took her eyes off the male to look at Whitebeard.

"Oh? Really?" Liza looked back at Teach and raised an eyebrow. "You think he's strong? Well, he doesn't look too bad... What's your full initials?" Liza asked and Teach glanced at her after he handed a barrel to one of his comrades.

"Teach D. Marshall"

Liza's eyes abruptly widened and she froze. Whitebeard immediately noticed her reaction and he stared at her. Liza's blue eyes narrowed onto Teach and a deep frown came onto her lips. He had the initial 'D' and it shocked her to the core.

There were very few in the world that had the 'D' and she was one of those few. However, she was aware that there had to be others and she came across a pair but they died. She also never felt a bad omen from them as she did from the male standing in front of her.

He was dangerous.

Liza's face suddenly turned into a bored expression and her blue eyes calmed down. "You're an interesting fellow. You may have the initials to back it up, but are you really strong?" Liza asked and Teach gave her an arrogant smirk.

"Of course! I'm strong and if you don't believe me then I'll show you!" Teach challenged her and Liza's lips twitched up in a smirk. Richard, who was serving drinks to the customers while the Whitebeard pirates were there, let his brows furrow and frowned.

Liza couldn't fight the male even if she wanted to. She's been in a bad mood ever since that large male from before angered her and if she were to come in a fight it would mean trouble. She couldn't be angered more or she'll be sure to break her long kept promise.

"Ha, you're got quite the balls to challenge me." Liza said, her smirk never faltering but her blue eyes gleaming with mischief. "But, I'll accept it. You can show me how powerful you think you are on the open field, west from here"

Richard's eyes widened in disbelief and he gaped at Liza. She wasn't serious, was she? She couldn't fight him! "Liza-chan, you can't-" Richard received a dangerous glare from Liza that immediately shut him up.

"Do you have a problem with that, Newgate?" Liza asked as she looked at the pirate captain who found the scene both amusing and intriguing. He shook his head and Liza grunted. "Then it's decided. You better be ready" Teach laughed and grinned arrogantly.

"Likewise"

Liza and Teach's intense stare made a peculiar atmosphere surround them. It was as if only they were inside the building and all of the other people vanished. Neither of them was backing away from the stare and Liza unsightly put a hand on her dagger.

"Hey, you better get going then. We're not staying here for long" Whitebeard spoke up and broke the lingering tension in the air. Liza relaxed slightly while Teach nodded and walked off with his comrades. Liza took her hand off her dagger and completely calmed down.

"Liza-chan, what are you thinking? You can't go and get involved in a fight. We need you here at the bar" Richard tried to persuade Liza with another method. He knew that he couldn't bring up the previous events but he was even if he mentioned it, Liza's decision was set in stone.

"Don't worry, Richie. He's just going to show me his strength. Besides, I haven't been in a good fight in a long time. Also, Newgate agreed so it's decided." Liza replied but Richard was still uneasy. Liza let out a sigh and made eye contact with Whitebeard who sat there quietly in his own thoughts.

He looked calm. After all, it was only going to be a friendly match. She didn't understand why Richard was against the fight. She wouldn't do anything unnecessary or uncalled for. She just wanted to test the male and make sure.

Make sure that her suspicions were correct.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13**_

Liza walked towards the open field and caught sight of the group of Whitebeard pirates waiting for her. She suspected that some of Whitebeard's men would come and watch but at least he didn't bring the entire crew.

Liza left her two bartenders back at Dine and Dash and left Richard in charge. She was sure that the little fighting session wouldn't last so long and it wasn't like she was going to kill him. She just wanted to test him strength since he had the secret name.

The 'D'.

Liza reached the group and grinned when she saw a familiar face. "Well, if it isn't Marco! It's been a while! How's my favorite Phoenix doing?" Liza greeted the first commander of the Whitebeard pirates and he returned the grin.

"I'm the only Phoenix you know-yoi." Marco replied and Liza playfully rolled her eyes at the male. "I'm doing fine-yoi. I'm guessing that you're doing fine as well since you're already busy getting yourself into fights" Liza chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, too bad you won't fight me. I really enjoyed kicking your sorry ass but these days there aren't any competition out there." Liza stated in a sad tone and let out a heavy sigh. She couldn't get in any fun fights. She would only beat up people who anger her.

Marco huffed and shook his head at her. "As I recall we've always ended equally in battle. Maybe if you joined my unit then I may reconsider fighting you again-yoi" Marco tried to persuade the dark haired female but she wasn't having any of it.

She was too stubborn.

"Ha! You're just like Newgate. Nice try, Marco, but I enjoy my solitude as a bar owner. I can party and drink as much as I like. Besides, if I joined your unit, then I would become commander if I beat you and me being in charge is not a good thing" Liza said and Marco sweat dropped.

"Hey, don't we have a match to start." Jozu spoke up as he came in next to Marco and Liza raised an eyebrow at the male. "We still have to help Pops out with a few supplies" He reminded them and Liza shrugged.

"You're as impatient as always, Jozu. You should learn to relax a little! I'm sure some of your men can help the old man out!" Liza said and Jozu's face fell slightly while his brow twitched. He never understood how she could be so calm at times.

"I see you got yourself a new dagger-yoi. It must've cost a fortune!" Marco said as he pointed at the dagger sheathed at Liza's side. Liza glanced down at the weapon for a few brief moments before she snickered.

"Nah, this old thing? I just rummaged through some old mementos we had back at the bar when we redecorated and expanded it. You can say this is an antique" Liza said and noticed Jozu's frown. She knew that he wanted to avoid getting caught by the Marines and turned her back to them.

"Alright! You ready, Teach? We don't want little Jozu to get angry so let's get this over with" Liza said in a teasing tone. Marco laughed along with the other few comrades that stood by them and Jozu gave Liza a faint glare.

"I'm always ready!" Teach exclaimed as he went out to take his place. Liza gave him a smirk and went to stand a fair distance from Teach. She plucked out her dagger and held it in her right hand while stepping into a stance.

She watched as Teach put on his metal claws and her face fell into a serious expression. Teach laughed and stepped into his own stance as he smirked at her. Once again, she could feel an omen cross through her mind and her eyes narrowed.

"Let's go"

* * *

At the bar...

Richard served the customers the drinks they ordered while being deep in thought. Aston noticed that he barely spoke and he was greatly troubled. Richard was uneasy because of Liza's fight with the Whitebeard pirate.

Aston, however, didn't understand why Richard was bothered by it. Liza was the strongest woman Aston knew and she said that it would only be the test of the pirate's strength. It wasn't as if they were going to fight to the death...right?

"Um, Richard-san, are you sure you're alright? You haven't said much ever since Liza-san left and you haven't even talked to some of the customers." Aston said in a concerned tone and Richard sighed heavily as he sat down at the bar counter.

"I'm worried, kid. I know that you've been working here for a while now, but you don't know Liza as I do. This morning's events angered her more than she shows. If she were to be angered more in this fight, it could lead to deadly consequences" Richard replied and Aston swallowed thickly.

"D-Deadly c-consequences? B-But Liza-san won't let her anger get the best of her, right? She knows that she'll get into trouble if she did something wrong? Right? Hey, Richard-san!" Aston asked in a panicked tone and Richard let out a heavy sigh.

"Aston, you don't understand what I mean when I say Liza gets angry. Her usual outbursts and beatings are merely the tip of the iceberg. If Liza truly loses her calm and collected attitude she becomes...well, a monster given the occasion" Richard explained and Aston gasped.

"W-What do you mean...?"

"If Liza were to be pushed passed her limit, where she's currently at, she'll kill." Richard silently stated and Aston's eyes widened in horror. "It's because that moron of this morning brought up her past and now she wants to blow of some steam... What was she thinking?!"

"Richard-san!" Aston called when the male suddenly jumped up and darted towards the exit. Richard burst through the door, only to crash into someone and they both landed on the ground after the collision.

"Ow! That hurt! What are you doing, idiot?!" An angry redhead exclaimed while clutching his sore head. Richard was about to snap back at him before he noticed who it was and the redhead also recognized the male.

"It's you!"

Benn, who stood next to the fallen Shanks, chuckled at their simultaneous reply and also at his Captain. He already had a headache but Benn was sure that it was worse now. Maybe that could teach him not to drink too much.

"What are you doing running out of the bar in such haste? Someone could get hurt if you did that" Shanks said as he stood up and dusted himself off. He felt a small pang of his head and wanted to groan.

"You're back..." Richard trailed off before he shook his head to snap himself out of his own haze. That wasn't the current problem. He had to get to Liza as fast as possible to make sure she didn't do anything stupid... Not that she would listen to him and he didn't have the strength to stop her either.

What was he going to do?

An idea popped inside his head and his eyes widened. "That's it!" Shanks and Benn glanced at each other before looking back at Richard, perplexed. "Hey, Redhead! I don't have time to explain but I need your help! It's about Liza" Richard said and Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"She's off fighting one of the Whitebeard pirates after he challenged her but there's a big problem. If someone doesn't stop her, she might take the fight too far and do something she'll regret" Richard said and the male's eyes widened.

Shanks abruptly grabbed Richard's shoulders and pulled him closer. "Tell me where she is" Shanks ordered with a serious facial expression. Benn's brows furrowed and a frown came onto his face as he took in Richard's information. If Liza did something wrong it could mean war.

"She's on the open field where you fought Mihawk two years ago" Richard quickly replied and Shanks grunted. He glanced at Benn and they gave each other a nod before they ran off west towards the fighting area.

"I don't hope we're too late, Benn. Geez, what was she thinking fighting one of Whitebeard's men? Does she know if she kills him that it would mean war?" Shanks said and his brows furrowed as his eyes settled on the open field not too far away from them.

"I honestly don't know what she was thinking either. You know that no one can tell what she thinks and she's unpredictable in many ways. However, she's definitely not stupid. She knows that she can't do anything without thoroughly thinking it through." Benn said and Shanks sighed.

"I hope so"

It wasn't long until they came to the open field and they briefly stopped. They could hear metal clash against metal and smoke emerged from the fighting area. Not wasting any more time, Shanks and Benn quickly hurried off towards the scene.

Shanks caught sight of Liza twirling in the sky before she landed gracefully in a stance, a dagger in hand. His eyes widened when he saw her fighting against Teach. Of all the people she fought, he didn't expect her fighting against him.

Liza's grip on her dagger tightened and her blue eyes narrowed at the male in front of her. He had a large grin plastered on his lips and the metal claw in his hand was still intact. She noticed for a big person, he definitely wasn't slow.

 _He's strong._ She thought to herself and her brows twitched. _He's basically on the same level as a commander on the crew, but why is he working under them? What does he intend to do by hiding?_ She questioned in her mind.

 _"He's a scheming brat but he's definitely not weak"_ Whitebeard's words echoed through her thoughts and she mentally huffed. Whitebeard was aware of his strength then but his schemes as well.

However, this wasn't the best time to figure out what he was scheming. She had to stay alert at all times and make sure that she didn't leave an opening. She believed that this fight would only be a testing of strength but as soon as it started, the nature of the fight changed.

Teach was attacking her with more ferocity and he wasn't holding back at all. When he attacked, he meant to harm her or do even worse. She could feel that his once calm aura changed into something else...something more menacing than before and it made her grit her teeth.

This fight could no longer be stopped even if one to interfere, it was too late. If someone were to come in-between them, they would be dangerously injured. Either that or one of them was walking away the least unscathed.

Liza changed her footing before she sped towards Teach once again, both her arms pulled back and her blue eyes targeted him. Teach attacked her with his metal claws by swiping them to the side and Liza dropped on the ground before she slid in behind him.

She spun with her dagger charged and before she could injure him, his metal claws blocked her. Once again, she noted his speed. They clashed with incredible force and a strong wind exploded from their colliding.

Teach gave her a grin and pushed her back making Liza's brows furrow. She pushed more force into the attack and her usual light blue eyes darkened slightly. He was actually pushing her to use power that she preferred not to use.

Liza glared at him and as she glared at him the scenery before her eyes briefly changed. A grin. A knife. Blood. A Devil's Fruit. Darkness. Liza snapped out of her haze when she was grabbed by Teach and thrown on the ground.

Liza gasped out at the sudden action as her wind was knocked out. However, she quickly came to her senses when she saw Teach swipe at her with his metal claws. She jumped back at an incredible speed and dug her heels into the ground to stop her.

 _That was close, too close! If that hit me, then would've been shreds! What is this idiot doing?!_ Liza angrily thought and gritted her teeth. Her eyes widened when the previous signs flashed through her thoughts again.

A grin. A knife. Blood. A Devil's Fruit. Darkness.

Realization slowly started to sink in Liza's system and her eyes widened. She saw Teach's grin widen and didn't know if it was in her mind or real. All she knew was that the bad omen meant betrayal. Betrayal for darkness.

Liza snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Teach in front of her and she mentally cursed. She went to block the oncoming fist but she was too late. He sent her crashing after his fist collided with her cheek.

Liza coughed and felt her body ache at the crash. _That was one hell of a punch_. She spat up blood to the side and wiped the trail that ran from her mouth away with her thumb. Her eyes widened when she sensed him in front of her again and grabbed her dagger.

She barely had time to block his metal claws and was pushed back into the ground. She had a weak stance and struggled to push him back. She growled angrily and smashed her head against his making him cry out in pain.

Liza then somersaulted back and landed on both legs. There was a sudden explosion of pain in her right leg and she fell down onto one leg. She glanced back at her leg and noticed a bruised mark on her shin.

 _When did that-?_

Liza's eyes widened when Teach once again charged at her and she tried to evade it. However, her leg didn't dare to move and she was stuck in her kneeling position. If she blocked his strong attack then she could injure herself even more but she could be able to block it.

Unseen from her blue eyes, Teach grabbed a pistol he had behind him and loaded it. As soon as he pointed it towards Liza, it was too late. He shot her hand making her cry out and her dagger fell to the ground.

"You bastard!" Liza growled as she grabbed her hand that pulsed in pain. The bullet went right through! Her eyes widened when she immediately concluded that she couldn't block the slash of his metal claws.

She was defenseless.

Liza watched with big blue eyes as everything slowed down. Teach slashed down his metal claws with a wide sickening grin and she gritted her teeth. It was over. She let her guard down and now she was going to pay dearly for it.

As the metal claws came incredibly near her, a shadow appeared in front of her and metal clashed against metal. She saw droplets of blood land onto a straw hat that fell off the male's head and her breath caught in her throat.

"Shanks!"

Liza watched as Teach was thrown back by the force of Shanks's haki and the redhead gave the male a deadly glare. His left eye was closed and blood dripped from the cut skin of Teach's wound. Shanks held his sword out in front of him and blocked most of the attack but not enough.

"S-Straw H-Hat?" Liza managed to rasp out and couldn't believe her eyes. Not only was he here, but he saved her from the attack. Shanks dropped his sword by his side and looked back at Liza's shocked facial expression before mustering up a grin.

"Yo, Liza-chan"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Here is the long awaited updated Chapter!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14**_

Shanks fell back slightly and Liza was quick to catch the male. The wound on his face looked terrible and if they didn't treat it, the bleeding won't stop. Liza growled, ripped a piece off her white shirt and tied it around the wound.

"Don't 'Yo, Liza-chan' with me, you idiot! What are you thinking by interfering with my fight?!" Liza angrily yelled at him but felt her concern bubble up more. He protected her and got hurt. It made a bitter taste come forth in her mouth.

"Hey, we're friends, right? I couldn't let you get hurt and just watch! That's not what friends do" Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened while a gasp escaped her lips. Friends? He thought they were friends?

 _"You couldn't even save your own comrades"_

The words of the large male in the beginning of the day echoed throughout her mind and she gritted her teeth. Her blue eyes darkened drastically and veins started to throb out of her head. She saw Benn rush towards Shanks and stood up.

"Liza? What are you doing?" Shanks asked in a shocked tone at the fact that she stood up. Didn't her leg hurt? His and Benn's eyes widened when they saw the angry look on her face and her killer glare was on Teach.

"Hey, Liza, calm down-yoi! Don't do anything stupid-yoi!" Marco warned her and received a menacing look from Liza that sent shivers down his spine. This was the first time he saw her that angry.

"Stay out of this, Phoenix" Liza snarled at him and pushed them back with an incredible force. Their eyes widened when they realized that she did that with her willpower. According to them, she didn't have haki before.

Liza looked back at Teach and pulled out one of her knives hidden in her boot. "You're going to pay for that, bastard" Liza suddenly vanished from her spot and appeared in front of Teach making his eyes widen in disbelief. When did she get so fast?

"Seven blade dance!"

In a flash, Liza gave him cuts all over his body and he cried out on pain. She gave him a strong knee thrust into his abdomen making him spit up blood. He crashed hard into the ground and coughed up more blood.

"Y-You wench... Where did this power come from?" Teach asked but Liza didn't give him any reply. She gave him a murderous look with her mouth pulled into a deep frown. He gritted his teeth and pulled out his pistol.

Liza flicked her wrist and the knife impaled Teach's hand. He cried out in pain and the pistol fell next to him. He reached out towards the knife and pulled it out with his other hand with another cry in pain.

He threw the knife towards Liza and she caught the blade with her bare hand. Everyone's eyes widened when they saw her other hand bleed before she threw the knife to the side. Both her hands were bleeding and had terrible wounds but she didn't show any sign of pain.

"Y-You're a monster!"

Liza gave him a sick smirk that made his blood run cold. She pulled her dagger and then appeared above Teach. Her dagger's blade pressed against his neck's skin and cut only the upper skin making him bleed.

"Monster? I could say the same thing about you, Teach. We're both monsters here but the difference between you and me is, I become a monster when you hurt someone dear to me. You were born a monster" Liza told him and Teach's eyes widened.

Liza suddenly pulled back her dagger and sheathed it by her side. She stood up and turned her back towards him. "You'll fall at the hands of a 'D', but not mine" Liza said as she glanced back at Teach, her blue eyes still dark and intimidating.

"Marco, make sure to treat his wounds and get him out of my sight. I never want to see him again" Liza said before she walked towards Shanks and Benn. She was relieved that Shanks stood up but the white cloth was covered in blood.

"We need to get you healed up as soon as possible, Straw Hat. I have the supplies back at my bar but you'll probably want your own doctor to look at the damage" Liza said, her face softening and Shanks shook his head.

"Don't worry about me. You're much more injured than I am! Worry about yourself too!" Shanks said and Liza chuckled. She looked at her damaged hands and scoffed. She had worse wounds before in her life.

"There little things? Nah, I'll be fine. Now shut up and let's go. You're bleeding a lot" Liza said in a concerned tone and her brows knitted together. They had to get him medical attention and soon. She was sure that the wound was deep too and needed to be disinfected.

"Liza's right. You need to get cleaned up as soon as possible. Let's go" Benn said as he supported his Captain slightly. They started to walk on and just as Liza took a step, she winced. "Liza, are you alright?"

She forgot about her bruised leg!

"Y-Yeah! I'm fine! You two go on ahead! I'll join you at the bar!" Liza said while wondering how she was going to make it at the bar with her leg injury. Liza let out a deep sigh and took another step with her injure leg while gritting her teeth. She wasn't going to get anywhere like this!

Liza's eyes widened when an arm suddenly snaked underneath hers and she was supported. "Need some help-yoi?" Marco asked with a faint grin and Liza stared at him for a few. She gave him a nod and smiled.

"Thanks"

"Don't mention it-yoi. You took quite a beating back there but I'm glad that you didn't kill Teach. For a moment I thought that you would-yoi" Marco said as they walked on slowly but steadily. Liza huffed and gritted her teeth as she stepped onto her sore leg.

"Don't be ridicules, Marco. I know very well about your iron rule and there's no way that I would kill a Whitebeard Pirate. Actually, there's no way I would kill anyone for that matter" She murmured the last part softly but Marco still heard it.

"Liza, there's something that bothers me-yoi. Why did you freeze up like that in the middle of the fight?" Marco asked and Liza's brows furrowed. She had a feeling that someone was going to question that.

"Marco, I'm giving you this warning because I know that I can trust you and you can trust me. I respect you and the old man and I don't want you to get hurt" Liza said and Marco's face turned impassive.

"Someday, Teach is going to betray you. He'll commit murder and dwell into the darkness" Liza said and Marco's eyes widened. "A grin. A knife. Blood. A Devil's Fruit. Darkness. They're all signs of a bad omen, be careful" Marco stared at her in shock and could barely analyze her words.

There were rumors made by those who feared the 'Red Menace' and there was known that she never ate a Devil's Fruit. Even now, he wasn't aware that she ever ate a Devil's Fruit or otherwise she would've used it in a fight.

However, there was one thing that he was aware of, her prediction of the future. When he first met her, he thought that it was only a rumor. His opinion changed when she predicted what would happen once and after that, he knew that it was true.

What surprised him the most was that she was never wrong. No matter how many times she would foresee something, she was never wrong. She was usually spot on despite only seeing split images she could decipher them almost in an instant.

It scared him.

"I'll be sure to take your word for it and keep an eye on him-yoi. I'll be sure to warn Pops as well, but right now we have to take care of these wounds-yoi. They look terrible" Marco said and Liza lightly chuckled.

"Thank you, Marco, you're making me feel much better" She sarcastically stated and Marco rolled his eyes. He noticed the paleness of her skin and also noticed her tired blue eyes. They had to get her hands disinfected and fast before she bled out.

"H-Hey" Marco looked back at Liza who was dragging her feet more than walking correctly. "M-Make sure that moron S-Straw Hat get's his wound checked for me" Liza said before she went limp in his grip.

"Hey, Liza-yoi! Stay with me! Hey!"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* It's a double update this weekend! I hope that you enjoy it and please remember to review***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15**_

Liza softly hummed inside the kitchen as she slowly tried to make food with her bandaged hands. She wore gloves to ensure that she could work properly and ignored the stinging pain in her leg as she walked around.

After the events of the day before, she decided to make some food and then serve the Straw Hat who lay passed out in the guest room. He had his facial wound treated but she hated the fact that he got it because of her.

Despite that, she received a few injuries she was more concerned about him. Marco brought her back not too long after she passed out. She heard that he made sure she was bandaged up and treated before he left.

When she woke up, Richard told her that the Whitebeard pirates left and Marco left her a note. _Don't worry, I'll be on guard for anything._ She knew that he would keep by his word but she still couldn't help the troubling feeling that bubbled up within her along with her hidden darkness.

 _Regrets collect like old friends  
Here to relive your darkest moments  
I can see no way, I can see no way  
And all of the ghouls come out to play_

She softly sang as she continued to make the food and added the spices. She checked the oven to make sure that the food didn't burn before she continued on to chop of the vegetables. She threw them in the stew on the stove and tasted it.

 _And every demon wants his pound of flesh  
But I like to keep some things to myself  
I like to keep my issues drawn  
It's always darkest before the dawn_

She gave herself a nod and closed the lid on the pot. She let out a sigh and glanced out the window where the bright blue sky showed himself. The darkness in her eyes was no more and they showed a peculiar calmness.

 _And I've been a fool and I've been blind  
I can never leave the past behind  
I can see no way, I can see no way  
I'm always dragging that horse around_

She recalled the fight between her and Teach and looked back down at her hands. She had so many questions after the fight and she couldn't answer them all. The biggest question she had was why she was forced to see the bad omen.

 _All of his questions, such a mournful sound  
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground  
So I like to keep my issues drawn  
But it's always darkest before the dawn_

Then there was Shanks, the one who jumped in front of her and took the blow of Teach. The more she thought about it the more confused she was. Why would he do that for her? They barely know each other and they haven't seen each other in two years. Why?

 _Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
So shake him off, oh whoa_

She walked towards the window, her leg only stinging a little bit, and leaned against the wall while staring out at the bright blue sky. She still couldn't understand him, neither could she understand herself. To think that she almost killed a man because he hurt her friend... She was hopeless.

 _And I am done with my graceless heart  
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart  
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn  
It's always darkest before the dawn_

She didn't know when she was going to get rid of her darkness and she didn't know if it was even possible. It was something she had inside her and it was never going to go away. No matter how hard she tried.

 _And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
And given half the chance would I take any of it back  
It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone  
It's always darkest before the dawn_

A small smile came onto her lips when she thought about the wide grin Shanks gave her and how ignorant he was. Once again, she was reminded that she couldn't understand him at all and briefly closed her eyes.

 _And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't  
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road  
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope  
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat_

She turned her back towards the window and walked towards the stove again. She looked at the food and made sure that everything was ready before she switched off all the appliances. She gently pulled out a few dishes and laid them out next to the pots.

 _'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me  
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me  
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah_

She filled the dishes with food and nodded at herself when she was done. The food was ready and all she had to do was get the others. Richard should be awake but she was sure that Shanks was still snoring his lungs out. What a peculiar male...

 _Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
So shake him off, oh whoa_

"Liza-chan?" Richard's voice reached her ears as he stepped inside the kitchen before his eyes widened. "You shouldn't be working, Liza-chan! You have to rest your hands and leg!" Liza huffed and took off her gloves.

"I'm fine, Richie, besides all I did was prepare some food. You can't go through your day without any food." Liza said and chuckled when she saw Richard give her a look of disbelief. She noticed that he wasn't amused and he didn't approve of her actions.

"Well, I'm off to look at Straw Hat's injury. You can serve these as soon as Aston and Benn arrives. I'm sure Benn will bring a few of his comrades as well. Be sure to take the meat out of the oven and don't let it burn" Liza instructed while Richard still gave her a blank expression.

"Thanks, Richie" Liza said while giving him a wink. Richard watched as she walked passed him and ascended up the stairs. He looked back at the food she prepared and let out a deep sigh. No matter how he tried, she was never going to listen to him.

After all, she was too stubborn.

Liza came to the top of the stairs and expected to hear snoring but instead she met with silence. She walked towards the guest room and wanted to knock. She noticed the door was open and slowly pushed it.

"Straw Hat? You awake?" Liza asked as she looked inside the room and found the redhead already standing. He was occupied with buttoning up his shirt and he turned to look at her. "Oh, sorry if I interrupted you" She noticed his well-sculptured chest and quickly cleared her throat.

"Nah, I was just getting dressed. You can come in if you want" Shanks said and Liza quietly nodded. Why did her eyes always catch sight of handsome men? Moreover, why did she always feel her face heat up when she did? Surely, she couldn't be affected.

"Y-yeah, I finished up with breakfast so you can go eat when you're done. Benn also said that he went to get the others. While he does that, I agreed to clean your injury up" Liza said and wanted to groan when Shanks didn't button his shirt all the way up. Why was he so lazy?

"Oh, thanks, Liza, but are you sure? I can always clean it up myself since you have some serious injuries yourself" Shanks said as he pointed at Liza's injured hands. Liza blinked a few times before she chuckled.

"Don't underestimate me, Straw Hat. I made food with these hands and I'm already used to the pain by now. Now, sit down before I make you" Liza said and Shanks snickered before he went to sit down on his bed.

"No offense, Liza, but I don't think you can currently do that" Shanks said and received a glare from Liza only to pale. "I-I mean that it wouldn't be such a good idea. I don't want you to hurt yourself more" Liza's glare vanished and she huffed.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid...again" She whispered the last part and started to take off his bandage. Shanks watched her bright blue eyes concentrated at the task at hand and he noticed how gentle she was being.

Liza finished taking off the bandage and her brows furrowed slightly. He had three scars crossing over his left eye and she felt a pang inside her chest. She quickly ignored it and went to grab a disinfectant towel.

"This is going to sting a bit" She said and gently pressed the small towel against his injury. Shanks winced at the burning sensation but bore with it. Liza's face softened, "I'm sorry" She softly whispered and Shanks looked back at her.

"There's no need to be sorry, Liza, I'm just glad that you're okay. It's fine if I take blow to prevent you from getting hurt" Shanks said and Liza gave him a small smile as she continued to clean his new scars.

"Don't say that, idiot" She weakly snapped at him. "No one should get injured on my behalf. That's not how I work. I do appreciate the gesture, but no protecting me from now on, okay? Or I'll beat you up" She warned but even her warning wasn't dangerous.

"Then I guess I'll have to take the beating" Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened. She briefly stopped cleaning and frowned at the male. "If I can stop it then I'll prevent any of my friends getting hurt. That's just how I am" He winced when she suddenly pressed hard against his scars.

"Idiot"

Shanks watched as she continued to clean him with her gentle touch and watched the small smile on her lips. Even if she called him an idiot, she still smiled at him. He smirked and a soft chuckle escaped from his lips making Liza raise an eyebrow.

"What's so funny, Straw Hat? Do I have something on my face that you found amusing?" Liza asked as she finished cleaning the scars. She put down the towel and reached for the bandage to wrap him up.

"You are" Shanks said and received a disapproving look from Liza. "You're angry at me and still, you smile. But, I prefer the smile rather than that look you're giving me. A smile suits you better" Liza's eyes briefly widened and she could feel her face heat up.

 _This guy..._ Liza looked at his innocent and wide grin. He was too unpredictable for her to handle and she didn't even have the strength to figure him out. She huffed and started to wrap the bandages around the injury.

"Well, since we're talking about things that suit me better..." Liza trailed off as she finished wrapping the bandage. She grabbed his straw hat and put in on his head. "This straw hat suits you better too, Red Hair" Shanks's eyes widened and Liza gave him a wink.

"See you"

Shanks watched as she waved him off with a glance. She closed the door behind her and he was left speechless. She called him 'Red Hair'. From what he could remember she always called him 'Straw Hat', why the change?

Shanks shook his head and snickered. _What a strange woman._ He thought to himself before he exited the guest room. He unconsciously held his straw hat as he descended the stairs and a grin was plastered on his lips.

"Oh, Shanks! You came down quick! I was just starting to serve the food to your crew." Richard said as he stopped at the staircase with plates filled with food. Shanks looked up and noticed his men all sitting in the bar.

"Boss!"

"You guys! I didn't even hear you! What are we having now, a silent party?" Shanks asked and his men blinked a few times before they burst out laughing. "What's so funny? Aren't we partying?" Shanks went to sit next to Benn and he chuckled.

"They're probably laughing because of the bandage. You look like a real one eyed pirate now" Benn pointed out and the men continued to laugh. Shanks soon joined in and Richard shook his head. What was so funny about that?

"Benn told us about your brave deed, Boss. Apparently, you saved a damsel in distress! So, where is she?" Yasopp, their sniper, asked as he sat next to his other crewmate Lucky Roo and they both had a drink in their hands.

"Oh, Liza? She was just in my room-" His men exclaimed in shock and Shanks gave them a blank stare before frowning slightly. "Hey, hey! It's not what you think! She just fixed me up" Shanks tried to explain but his men merely laughed.

"Of course she fixed you up!"

Shanks's let out a deep sigh and decided not to correct them. When his men made up their minds over a matter who was he to stop them? They were a bunch of stubborn bastards but they definitely knew how to party.

"Lighten up a bit, Boss, they're just teasing a bit." Benn said as he lit his cigarette and took a deep breath before exhaling the smoke. "Where is Liza anyway? I thought she was going to join us with breakfast"

Aston came out from the back with a bunch of plates and served the rest of Shanks's men. Richard grunted as he served them breakfast and let out a tired sigh. He grabbed a mug and started to wipe it clean.

"She went out. You won't be seeing her until later today. It's just Aston and I working at the bar today. Usually the bar is closed but now that I have some help we don't close it anymore" Richard replied and Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Why?"

"Well, today is the one day of the year that Liza takes off, besides Sundays when we clean up the bar and get some new stock. She usually goes out towards the coast on the east side and sit there until sundown" Richard answered and served them mugs filled with sake.

"That's strange. Do you know why she does that? I guess since she does it every year that it would be a tradition but is there anything special about that area?" Shanks asked and took a bite of his food. His eyes widened at the delicious taste and hastily ate his plate.

"There's a grave"

Shanks immediately stopped eating and looked at Richard with furrowed brows. Yasopp and Lucky Roo almost spat out their drinks and Benn's brows twitched. They did not expect that reply from Richard.

"You probably know that she was once part of a crew but then she retired her life as a pirate and started her own bar. She was once part of The Black Skull five years ago. Today, five years ago she was the only survivor of a brutal fight" Richard explained.

By now, the entire bar quieted down to hear the male's story and Aston finished serving drinks to listen as well. "That grave she visits every year is her Captain's grave." Richard stated and Shanks's brows furrowed.

"Her Captain, huh?"

* * *

 ** _On the East side of the island..._**

Liza stood in front of the grave near the coast and briefly closed her eyes as the wind brushed passed her. She pulled out a bottle sake and a packet of cigarettes. She put them both down next to the grave before she sat down.

"Long time no see, Captain Hendrickson"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 16**_

 ** _Flashback_**

 ** _10 years ago..._**

Young Liza stood at the railing of a large ship and stared out towards the ocean. Her blue eyes rivaled the clear water and the blue sky eyed her behind puffs of smoke. The sound of the salt water hitting the ship calmed the storm inside her and she enjoyed the feeling of freedom.

"H-Hey, did you hear that the Captain recruited a weird one? They said that she was a dangerous assassin that killed by orders of her client!" One of the men whispered hard enough for Liza to hear their conversation.

"W-What?! Isn't she dangerous then? What if she kills us?!" One of the other men whispered back with panic written all over his face. They whispered under each other and Liza kept herself occupied in her thoughts.

"Hey, what are you guys babbling about?" A spiky brown haired male with dark brown eyes asked as he interrupted the men's conversation and they yelped in surprise. "You better not gossip about our new comrade" He warned.

"C-Captain, are you sure about this? You know she's an assassin, right? Wouldn't it be dangerous if she joins us?" One of the men asked once again and the others nodded. They all felt the same about the female.

"Agh! Enough with all the questions! You're making my head ache!" He moaned and ruffled his own hair. "Listen, she's part of us now. Either you accept it or leave this crew if you're not satisfied" His men's eyes widened and they watched as he walked towards Liza.

"Yo, Liza! Do you see anything interesting? You've been standing there ever since you came on this ship. Aren't you getting bored?" The Captain asked as he went to stand beside her and watched her stoic face.

"No, nothing. I'm not bored either. I like the view. It has a calming effect." Liza replied in short and definite sentences. She didn't even glance back at the male but he was indifferent towards her impassive behavior.

"Yeah, it calms you down until a storm brews. Then this entire ship's crew goes crazy to get us out of the storm in one piece." He said with a wide grin and laughed as he thought about it. Liza turned to look at him and her brows furrowed.

"Hendrickson, why did you really bring me on this ship? It's clear that your comrades don't approve of my presence. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want a monster near me either. But the question is, why would you want someone like me on your ship?" Liza asked.

"Why? I told you, didn't I? I want you to use your talents rather than to throw them away by killing for money. I need someone with your skills on my ship. Besides, don't think you're the only monster on this ship" Hendrickson said and gave her a dark look.

"The Captain's right. If you look closely, you'll see that you entered the monster's den, Blue" Someone spoke up behind Liza. She glanced behind her, her hand immediately on her dagger and her brows furrowed. She didn't even sense him come in behind her.

"Hey, Dart! Don't go scaring her like that! She can kill you, you know? Geez, then I need to get a new first mate" Hendrickson grumbled the last part. Liza let her hand drop slightly from her dagger and Dart huffed.

"This little Blue? Kill me? Then you must be strong if that crazy bastard says that" Dart said and Hendrickson growled angrily at him. "I'm Dart, Captain's first mate. Nice to meet you, Dangerous Blue"

"It's Liza"

"Sure, Blue. Whatever you say" Dart said and Liza's brow twitched in agitation. However, she pushed away the anger and returned to her view of the ocean. She honestly didn't have time to get angry over a mere nickname.

"Oi, it looks like a storm is coming in. Everyone, be sure to stay near your stations and be ready for any climate change!" Another voice called from behind Liza and she glanced back towards a bald male.

"Stiles! What did I tell you about ordering around my men! You may be the navigator but don't think you can do what you want!" Hendrickson scolded the male and the navigator huffed while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then, be my guest. If you think you can order them when a storm comes, be my guest. After all, you know _exactly_ what to do, Captain" Stiles said and Hendrickson was about to say something but cut himself off.

"Alright, order them around as much as you want" He agreed and Stiles chuckled. "Tch, just because I can't navigate doesn't mean he can do what he wants..." Liza looked at Hendrickson and blinked a few times before looking back at the sea.

"You have a weird crew"

Hendrickson exclaimed in disbelief and he felt an arrow pierce his chest at the insult. "W... W... Weird?! I'll have you know that my crew is not weird! We're just different and a lot stronger than the others!" Hendrickson pointed out. His eyes widened when he saw a smirk on Liza's lips.

"I like weird"

Hendrickson stared at her in his own shock before he grinned. "Then you'll be just fine at this crew" He said and Liza grunted. Dart and Stiles looked at the scene and smirked. It looks like she was going to fit in just fine.

"Hey, you lazy scumbags! Let's party!" Hendrickson exclaimed and all of the men cheered. Stiles tried to stop them because of the storm approaching but it was no use. They only had alcohol on their minds.

"Aye, Captain!"

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Liza poured the sake in a small cup for her and another small cup that she put on the grave. She put the bottle next to it and then took her cup. She silently gave herself a cheers and then drank the small cup.

She then reached for a cigarette and lit it up. She took a deep breath and exhaled a large puff of smoke. "To think this is the only time that I smoke a year. I miss the calm feeling I get. You taught me some bad habits, Captain" Liza said with a chuckle.

"It's been five years now and I finally expanded my bar. Business have been good so far this year and that new kid is still working there. He's still as clumsy as ever but Richard helps him a lot. What a softy" Liza said with a smirk and took another puff.

"I finally got the cooking right too and now customers can enjoy edible food. It's not as good as our cook but it's better than nothing. At least I get a few beli out of the menu" Liza said and let out a sigh.

"You remember that Straw Hat I told you about? He actually came back! It took him two years, though. He shows himself in the middle of my fight and got injured. He's such an idiot. I honestly don't know how his crew can stand him" Liza snickered and looked down at her bandaged palms.

"Then again, I don't understand him at all. He's ignorant, obnoxious, simple minded but at the same time, his mind is like a steel trap. He's strong and nonchalant. I can't figure him out. Of all the people in the world I can see through, he wasn't one of them" Liza stated in a frustrated tone.

Liza recalled where she cleaned his wound and he complimented her. She felt her face heat up again and growled. "What is he after?" She wondered aloud and when she couldn't find the answer she let out a heavy sigh.

"Neh... Hendrickson... You and the others... You found a way to seal away your darker side somehow... How did you do it? I can't get rid of my past but there must be a way that I can discard the evil within me. I almost killed someone again..." Liza murmured and looked at the sky.

Familiar screams of agony reached her ears and she clenched her eyes shut only to see a bloodied scene filled with horror. Sweat trailed down the side of her face and she clenched her fists into the grass below her.

"I... I... I..." Liza heard another scream and her eyes shot open. She breathed heavy and sweat trailed down the side of her face. "I'm sorry... I couldn't save any of you back then... I wish that I had the strength and I wish that you had forced me to fight for you"

She pushed her hat over her eyes and swallowed thickly. "It looks like a storm is coming and it's going to be nonstop rain showers" Liza murmured softly despite the blue sky not changing. There were no clouds and there was no rain.

The rain was the tears that started to slowly trail down Liza's cheeks. "Damn it... I didn't even bring an umbrella..." Liza rasped out and let her tears freely cascade down her cheeks. She refused to let a sob escape her lips and took a deep breath.

 _Lost in the fog, these hollow hills  
Blood running hot, night chills  
Without your presence I'll be  
So long and lost, are you missing me?_

Liza's voice came out steadily as she sang and she kept her teary eyes hidden beneath her hat. The tears dripped onto the grass beneath her and she didn't bother to wipe them away, for they would only fall again.

 _Is it too late to come on home  
Are all those bridges now old stone  
Is it too late to come on home  
Can the city forgive, I hear its sad song_

She recalled the times she spent on the ship and how they taught her all the different things about being a pirate. She could hear their terrible singing when they partied and a faint smile came onto her lips.

 _I need the clouds to cover me  
Pull in the dark, surround me  
Without your presence I'll be  
So long and lost, are you missing me?_

They were in many fights and there were a lot of times Hendrickson would help her out in a fight. He stopped her when she wanted to kill someone and he somehow found a way to make her darkness fade away.

 _It's been so long between the words we spoke  
Will you be there up on the shore, I hope  
You wonder why it is that I came home  
I figured out where I belong_

Liza lifted up the dagger up in front of her and her lips quivered. She remembered that the crew gave her he dagger for her five-year anniversary. They never partied and drank like they all did that night. The night before all the good times ended.

 _But it's too late to come on home  
Are all those bridges now old stone  
But it's too late to come on home  
Can the city forgive, I hear its sad song_

Some of her tears dripped onto the clean dagger but through her blurry vision it was covered in blood. The blood of her comrades and of those who killed her crew. She let out a shaky breath and sheathed her dagger.

She wiped away the tears that stopped forming in the corner of her eyes. It had been four years since she cried and shook her head in disapproval. When did she get so soft? Was it because of the previous day's events? Or was it the longing in her heart that ached too much?

A handkerchief suddenly fell on her leg and her eyes widened. _Where did-?_ Her eyes widened when Shanks sat down next to her. He put a small bouquet of flowers on the grave and took off his straw hat.

"Red Hair..."

She watched as Shanks paid his respects to the grave and gave him a perplexed look. Shanks opened his eyes and put his hat back on his head. Liza looked down at the handkerchief he gave her and gently took it in her bandaged hands.

"I was once part of another pirate crew and I worked under my Captain as an apprentice. Those were some of the best days of my life and I enjoyed the journey. We fought a lot, partied a lot and lived freely" Shanks said and Liza looked back at him.

"About five years ago, my Captain disbanded our crew and we were all forced to go our own ways. A year after that, he was executed in front of everyone. The man I looked up to passed away but with his last words he still shook the world" Shanks said and a small smile came on his lips.

"I never drank as much as I did that night. I never cried as much as I did that night. He was the one to give me this straw hat and it's the greatest treasure that I have. Sometimes when we travel the sea I still think about him" Shanks said and Liza looked back at the piece of cloth in her hand.

Liza's brows furrowed and she clenched her eyes shut. She didn't want to cry. There was no place for weakness or regretful feelings. Even so, she couldn't get rid of the sorrow that filled her heart. Liza let out a sigh and opened her eyes again.

"His name was, Hendrickson. When I was in a very dark stadium in my life, he came and pulled me out of my despair. He made me part of his crew and for once I was free. I still can't show him all my gratitude that I have for him" Liza said and Shanks listened to her story.

"Five years ago, my entire crew was killed and I couldn't do anything to prevent those events. I did kill every single one of the enemy but it didn't take away the pain and regret. I made a deal with the Navy and then moved to this island to live on" Liza could feel the emotions bubble up inside her.

"It still hurts... The pain won't go away even after all these years. Every time someone gets hurt because of me, I... I... I can't control my rage. That's why... That's why I didn't want you to take the blow. I don't want anyone to ever get hurt because of me again" Liza explained.

She could feel the tears collect in the corner of her eyes again but she quickly blinked them away. She let out a dry chuckle and a fake smile came onto her lips. "Pathetic of me, huh? I should've moved on already..." Liza trailed off and Shanks looked out towards the open sea.

"It's okay to cry." Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened. "It shows you're still human and that you still have emotions. You've already moved on and carried the burden of your guilt. At times, it's light and at times, it's heavy again." Shanks said and a few of Liza's tears escaped her eyes.

"What matters is how you push through and share that burden with those around you. You have many friends who'll help you. You just have to reach out to them" Shanks said and Liza looked back at him with her big blue eyes.

"Then, can you help me carry it for a bit? It doesn't have to be much or even long, I just want it to be lighter" Liza whispered as more tears fell. Shanks put an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. Her eyes briefly widened and a small blush came over her cheeks.

 _He's so warm..._

"As long as I'm here, I'll carry it with you but don't forget that you have those two bartenders too. They are your friends too and maybe even Benn... Nah..." Liza laughed softly and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Red Hair"

Shanks glanced back down at her and pulled her a bit closer to him. "It's a pleasure. See it as a piece of gratitude for the delicious food. I didn't know that you could cook. You're very talented! You can sing, cook, fight... All I can do is party and fight" He pointed out and Liza laughed.

"You're practically useless" She said and his eyes widened as he gaped at her. She laughed again and a smile formed onto her lips. "I'm only joking... but those cooking skills took me a year to make edible food. It was a dangerous path that I took but it was worth it"

"Then I'm glad that I came when you made edible food" Shanks said and grunted when he received a faint punch on his abdomen. "Hey, you shouldn't hit with you injured hand. You'll open the wound again" He scolded but Liza ignored him and closed her eyes.

"If they open up, you can just bandage them again"

"That's not the point!" Shanks exclaimed and let out a deep sigh. "Well, whatever. There's no use in arguing with a stubborn woman" He expected her to snap back at him but she stayed quiet. He looked back at her and noticed her steady breathing.

Her tears stopped a while ago and the stains were still on her cheeks. She still had the handkerchief in her hand and never used it. He brushed away the tears with his thumb and a warm smile came on his lips.

 _Sweet dreams, Liza._

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 17**_

It was warm.

Liza felt like she was embraced by a calming and comforting warmth. She could vaguely make out the gravestone in front of her. It had two sake cups filled and a sake bottle next to it. There was a packet of cigarettes that lay open but one was missing.

"You finally decided to move on, little Red?" Liza tried to blink away the fogginess in her vision but it was no use. The figure sat on the gravestone and he smoked a cigarette. He had a familiar grin on his lips and Liza bit her bottom lip.

"W-Who are you?"

"Hey, don't forget about me so soon, Liza!" He exclaimed in a shock voice before huffing. He inhaled his cigarette and let out a long breath. "Then again, it's time you move on. I've done my part, now it's time for him to take things further"

"Him? Who are you talking about? I don't understand!" Liza yelled and the more she tried to make out the figure, the more her vision became fogged. Though, she recognized the wide grin and the male's way of smoking.

"You don't have to, Liza." The male said and pressed out his cigarette. "I'll see you again, someday. Don't party too much without me, neh? Oh, and keep an eye on that Red Hair. He cares a lot about you" Liza's eyes widened and she finally recognized him.

"Hendrickson..." Liza watched as he walked away and gave her a wave. Liza stared at him and small smile came onto her lips. She stood high as she watched him leave and silently gave him her farewell.

"See you later, Captain"

* * *

Liza slowly felt consciousness approach her and let out a silent sigh. She could feel that she was still embraced with warmth and comfort but didn't mind it in the least. On the contrary, she tried to snuggle a bit deeper.

Her light blue eyes fluttered open when she felt the embrace tighten slightly and she looked down in curiosity. She noticed an arm wrapped around her middle that held her protectively and saw that her hand touched it.

She was in bed...with someone.

Liza calmly took a breath and tried to recall what happened earlier. She could remember sitting at the grave of her former Captain and she knew that Shanks came as well. He sat there and they talked until she fell asleep on his shoulder.

 _How did I end up in bed then? Did someone bring me back here?_ She tried to find the answers in her thoughts but she struggled. _Don't tell me the one behind me is..._ Liza's eyes widened and her face involuntarily flushed.

Trying her best not to wake the person next to her she slowly turned around in the embrace. She held her breath when she noticed red bangs and froze. Holding her and lying next to her was the one person she wished hadn't.

Shanks.

He was fast asleep and for the first time, he wasn't snoring. He was quiet and only his soft breathing could be heard. Liza blinked a few times and took in his sleeping features. His face was calm and the three scars over his eye were visible.

She bit her bottom lip when she felt a pang of guilt and decided to move her eyesight. His red bangs lay lazily over his face and some of them covered his uninjured eye. She instinctively moved her hand but briefly hesitated to move his bangs.

 _He looks so peaceful in his sleep. I haven't noticed it before but he's actually quite handsome..._ She thought and moved to brush the hair out of his face. A small smile came onto her lips when she recalled their conversation and touched his bangs.

 _Red Hair, you're impossible for me to figure out but it doesn't matter to me. As long as you keep your promise, then I don't have to understand you._ Liza thought and finally brushed away his hair. _But you're still an idiot..._

"Who's an idiot?"

Liza exclaimed in shock when Shanks suddenly spoke up and a mischievous smirk came onto his lips. He opened his eyes to look back at her and Liza felt her face burn. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

"You are!" Liza said and hit him with the pillow she lay on. "Don't go and scare people like that, Red Hair!" Liza sat up and let out a sigh. She ran a hand through her hair before she looked down and her eyes widened.

Shanks gasped for air as he pulled off the pillow and let out an innocent snicker. "Sorry about that, Liza. I didn't think that you would be surprised like that" Shanks said and watched as Liza stared down at herself in disbelief.

"Um, Liza? Are you alright?" Shanks asked and raised an eyebrow. Liza's brows twitched and he saw her grit her teeth. He started to pale and cleared her throat slightly. "Hey, calm down. It's not what you think!" He tried to stop her but it was too late.

"You pervert!"

Shanks yelped as he was hit on his head and his hands immediately moved towards the sore spot. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and he looked back at Liza with a pouting face. However, it vanished when he saw Liza hold her hand in pain.

"Damn it! It hasn't healed up yet..." Liza murmured silently, mostly to herself but Shanks heard her. Liza softly rubbed over her sore hand and let out a sigh. She had to stop hitting people or her hand would never heal.

"You shouldn't punch with your injured hands, Liza! Look, you opened up the wound!" Shanks scolded and Liza saw the bandage slowly color red. "We have to clean it up quickly before the bleeding continues"

"It's fine-""No, it's not. Now, untie the bandage so I can clean it" Shanks cut Liza off and her eyes widened. He was serious and it was a new side she saw to him. Usually he was an obnoxious and carefree person but now he was the complete opposite.

Liza silently complied and unwrapped the bandage from her palm. She bit her lip when she saw that the cut opened up again. She glanced up at Shanks who already had a new bandage by his side and a cloth to clean the wound.

"Luckily, it didn't open up all the way. You need to be more careful, Liza, or your hands will never heal" Shanks said and Liza silently nodded. She winced when her cut stung from the cleaning but said nothing else.

"I didn't do anything to you, if that was what you were wondering" Shanks said and Liza's eyes traveled towards his. "I merely brought you back here after you fell asleep and made sure you were comfortable" Liza smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"You can say that again. Apparently, 'comfortable' means that you can cuddle with me as much as you want. Did you enjoy yourself, Red Hair?" Liza asked and Shanks blushed. He cleared his throat and tried to avoid the warmth of his face.

"T-That's not true! Y-You looked like you were having a nightmare so I thought I could help... Anyway, you were cuddling me most of the time! I'm not the only one to blame here!" Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened. He was kidding, right?

"But, to answer your question it was one of the best night's sleep that I've had in a long time" Shanks said and Liza stared at him. "On those waters you can never fully sleep. You always have to be awake for the next move. That and I usually pass out after too much sake" He laughed.

Liza chuckled and shook her head. "It must be nice to wake up without a headache for once, huh? Well, thank you for what it's worth. But don't think this will happen again. Next time I catch you next to me, a mere hit won't be enough," She threatened and Shanks snickered.

"I'll try!"

A calm silence came over them and they both didn't bother to break the lingering atmosphere. Shanks continued to clean the bleeding wound until the bleeding finally stopped. He smiled to himself and grabbed a bandage.

He was relieved to see that the wound on the one hand where Teach shot her was much smaller than before and that it was almost closed. She only needed a week before it would be completely closed and then it should be ready to use fully again.

He gently wrapped the bandage around her palm and glanced back up at her. She stared out of the window, her blue eyes gleaming with a peculiar gleam and a small smile on her lips. She was deep in thought but for once it seemed that she was content.

Shanks also noticed how beautiful she looked with the calm expression. Her dark hair fell naturally down her shoulders and her blue eyes rivaled the sky and even the sea. It was breathtaking... He shook his head from his thoughts and finished up.

"There you go. It's all done!" Shanks said and stood back with a wide grin. He nodded in approval of his work and Liza looked back down at her bandaged hand. "Now, no using it until it's absolutely necessary" Liza softly touched the material and smirked.

"Then you better not make me angry, Red Hair" Liza teased and stood up. "But thank you. I appreciate it. We should probably go and get some food before I open up the bar. Are you coming, Red Hair?" Liza saw him staring at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going in those clothes?" Shanks asked as he pointed at her state of clothing. She wore his large white shirt and had no pants on. Liza glanced down at herself and recalled that she was underdressed but smirked in result.

"Yes, I don't see the problem. It's not like it would be the first time that I serve the customers underdressed" Liza said and Shanks's eyes widened. His face colored a deep shade of red and his mouth went agape.

"W-What?!"

Liza burst out laughing and brushed off his shocked expression. "I'm only joking, Red Hair. You don't honestly think that I would do something like that. I have my own pride" Liza said as she walked towards the door.

"Y-Yeah..." Shanks trailed off and nodded. He wanted to agree with her but Liza was the most unpredictable person he ever met. He didn't know what to expect from her but then again, if he knew her better he would be able to understand her better.

"Hey, Red Hair"

He smiled at the thought of getting to know her more and hoped that they could stay a bit longer at the island. After the events of the previous day, he felt like he took a long step and that they became true friends.

"Hey"

They both shared something with each other that meant a lot in their lives and he agreed to help her carry her burden. He wasn't going to leave after he made that promise and he wasn't going anywhere until he made sure that's he was alright, physically and mentally.

"HEY!" Liza yelled at him and Shanks snapped out of his thoughts. He looked back at Liza and saw her glaring at him. "Listen when I'm trying to talk to you, idiot! Where is that head of yours now?" Shanks blinked a few times and cocked his head to the side.

"What did you want to say, Liza-chan?"

"Don't 'Liza-chan' me!" She could feel her blood pressure rising and groaned. She let out a deep sigh to calm her nerves before she looked back at Shanks. "I wanted to ask if you're going to clean up your wound before you head down"

"Oh... No, I don't think so. It's healed pretty well but I'll clean it up later. Right now, I'm starving!" Shanks moaned and Liza chuckled. She shook her head and exited the room with Shanks not too far behind her.

"You can head down while I go and clothe myself into a decent outfit. You can ask Richie or Aston to fix you something up to eat if you're in a rush" Liza said and walked towards her room. Shanks closed the guest room's door behind him and looked back at her.

"Nah, I'll just wait when you're done. I'm not really in a rush and I don't think my crew is either. We're going to stay here for a while before we head out towards the sea again." Shanks said and Liza stopped in her tracks.

"Besides, I have a few crewmembers to introduce to you that I met along the way. They're an amusing bunch! Also, your food is delicious! I don't have a problem to wait for you" Shanks said and Liza smirked.

She looked back at him and his eyes briefly widened at her lively blue eyes. He felt a warm feeling reside within his heart as it started to beat faster. What was going on with him? Why did she give him such a radiant look?

"Well, then I won't take long! I'd love to meet your new crewmembers but then I definitely have to put on something more decent, otherwise they'll get distracted" She gave him a teasing wink before she turned towards him and entered her room.

He stood there dumbstruck as she closed the door of her room. He let out a shaky breath and a smirk covered his lips. He took the straw hat he held by his side and put it on his head before he walked towards the stairs.

He kept his thoughts to himself and was the only one who knew the meaning behind the small smile on his lips. When he came at the end of the stairs he saw Benn already sitting at the bar counter with a cigarette in his hand.

"Morning, Benn, and the rest of you who are awake" Shanks said as he looked around the bar to see some of the men passed out of the tables. He was sure that if Liza saw this she would kick all this asses until they were awake.

She would probably force them to clean up the mess they made and pay for sleeping in her bar. He looked around and noticed that Richard was nowhere to be seen while Aston, the new kid, lay passed out on one of the chairs as well.

"Morning, Boss, did you sleep well?" Benn asked and Shanks nodded as he sat next to his first mate. Benn took a deep breath and glanced next to him. "How's Liza doing after yesterday?" Shanks's face softened and a smile came onto his lips.

"She's just fine"

Benn briefly bit down of his cigarette to hold it into place and examined his Captain's expression. He looked completely calm as always but it was definitely on another level. He knew well what was going on but said nothing. Instead he smirked and let out a breath filled with smoke.

"I see"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18**_

Richard unlocked the bar and opened the door before he was hit with a strong scent of alcohol. His eyes widened when he saw the bar was a complete wreck and paled ever so slightly. His eyes widened when he saw Aston passed out along with most of the pirates.

"Yo!" Shanks greeted Richard with a wave and the bartender looked back up at him. He and a few individuals of his crew were awake and the grin he gave him was definitely too innocent. What the hell happened in the bar while he was gone?

"What...happened? This place is a mess! We can't run the business with it looking like this! Liza-chan's going to kill me!" Richard exclaimed and turned slightly blue beneath his eyes. Killing him was an understatement of what she was going to do with him.

"Hey, don't worry about it! It's still a few hours until you open up, right? You can clean up before then and we can help out!" Shanks offered but Richard shook his head. He was thankful for the offer but he was still disappointed in himself for leaving everything in Aston's hands.

"Thanks..." Richard walked towards Aston and saw a glass of water on the table. He took the glass of water and tossed it out on the younger male. Aston yelped and jumped up at the sudden action. However, he soon fell over his own chair and groaned.

"Ow... That hurt..."

"It's going to hurt a lot more when Liza-chan's done with you, kid. Look at this place! I thought that I could trust you to keep things under control!" Richard stated in a disappointed tone and the younger male averted his eyes towards the ground.

"I-I'm sorry! I should've done what you told me! I shouldn't have partied like that! I'm sorry! I'll take all the responsibility!" Aston apologized and Richard's face softened slightly. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

"I'll take the responsibility. I should've never left you in charge when I should've been here" Richard said and Aston's eyes widened. A painful gleam passed through his eyes and he nodded sadly. He couldn't even do what was expected from him...

"What's with all the ruckus down here? It's still early!" Liza's voice resounded from above as she descended downstairs. She stopped at the end of the stairs when she saw the mess the bar was in and froze.

It was a mess.

"Liza-chan, I can explain. You see-" Liza's hand shot up to silence Richard and her blue eyes kept scanning the bar. She saw Aston staring at the ground in shame while Benn and Shanks watched the situation with interest.

"Whatever happened, doesn't matter. I'm going to go out and when I get back, I want this place cleaned. Your men are going to help clean up this mess or no more drinks for you, understood?" Liza told Shanks and he paled slightly at the glare he received.

"I-I understand"

"Good, as for you two..." Liza said as she looked at her two bartenders and let out a deep sigh. "Make sure that this never happens again. When I give orders, please follow them" Richard and Aston nodded.

Liza grunted and took a deep breath. "WAKE UP, YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING SCUM!" Liza yelled in an extremely loud voice. Those wake had to keep their ears closed and those who slept all jumped awake.

"Now, clean up this mess before I clean you up off this island! I want everything clean and sparkling! Get to work!" Liza ordered the pirates who were all still tired. They whined and most of them grabbed their pulsing heads.

"Why should we?"

Liza suddenly pulled out her dagger and glared at the male who asked the question. He paled and took a step back before he fell onto the ground. Liza spun the dagger in her hand and pointed it at him.

"Because if you don't, your comrades will clean you up from the floor. As I recall, you also drank at my bar so you will clean up. Neh, Red Hair?" Liza asked as she looked up at Shanks who smirked and gave her a nod.

"You better listen to Liza before you end up cleaning your own blood" Shanks said and all his men paled at his words. They hurriedly grabbed the empty bottles, plates and mugs and cleaned them up with the help of Aston and Richard.

Liza grunted and sheathed her dagger by her side. She put her hands on her hips and watched as they all worked to clean up the bar. A smirk came onto her features and she nodded at their fast and decent work.

"Hey, Liza, you shouldn't scare the men like that. We can't go out to the sea with a bunch of men fearing women" Benn said as he took a breath of his cigarette and Liza looked back at the male with the roll of her eyes.

"Oh please, fear is good for you. It shows you what your weakness is and your crew's weakness is nothing other than femininity" Liza stated with a wide grin resulting in Benn and Shanks sweat dropping at her words.

"Anyway, I have to get going. I have a few things that I need to go and buy. Don't break down my place in the meanwhile, Red Hair. I trust that you can stop him from doing that, Benn." Liza said and Shanks gaped at her.

"How come you trust him more than me?!" Shanks exclaimed and gave her a childish pout as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't even enjoy last night's party so I have to be the most responsible person here, right?"

Everyone gave him blank looks.

"Sure, keep telling yourself that, Red Hair. I'll see you later" Liza said and waved him off. She walked towards the exit of the bar, her hips swaying a bit from side to side and her one hand on the hilt of her dagger.

"Wait! I haven't introduced you to my new comrades yet! At least let me introduce them before you head out, Liza-chan" Shanks pleaded and Liza stopped dead in her tracks. She noted that he only added the '-chan' when he wanted something from her.

"I guess I could-""Yosh! Yasopp! Lucky Roo! Come here!" Shanks called and a vein popped out of Liza's head. He didn't even let her finish her sentence. "Liza, meet our new sniper, Yasopp. He's the best there is!"

The male, Yasopp, had short blonde hair which was stylish in loose waves. His name was written on his headband. He wore a dark blue shirt, dark green pants reaching down to his calves and blue shoes with buckles on them.

"Nice to meet you, Liza. I've heard so many stories about you. Captain just couldn't stop talking about you" Yasopp said and Liza glanced at Shanks who grinned sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, and this is Lucky Roo!" Shanks quickly shifted the conversation and Liza looked at the other new male. He had a round body shape and he had a piece of meat in his hand. He wore goggles over his eyes.

He wore a green shirt with white vertical stripes on it, paired by a matching bandanna on his head. He wore short beige pants with a dark green sash around his waist and green shoes with fur around the ankles.

"Well, it's nice to meet you two. I'd love to hear how you met this redhead clown but I'm more interested in something else" Liza said while Shanks blinked a few times. It took him a few moments before his eyes widened.

"Hey! That's not very nice!"

"You said that your name is Yasopp, right?" Liza asked and the sniped nodded. "Interesting, I'm guessing you came from East Blue which isn't the best place for snipers... How good are you with your pistol?"

Yasopp gave her a confident grin despite being shocked that she knew his home sea. "I'm the best there is! I can even shoot in-between a mosquitoes' eyes!" Yasopp proudly stated and Liza whistled, impressed by his skillful words.

"Is that so? I really haven't met any good snipers from East Blue so you might be the best one. Why don't we have a little contest then? I'd like to see what you've got" Liza said and it resulted in Richard groaning.

Once again, Liza was challenging someone to a match and he was sure that it was going to end up into another party. He gave up in stopping her and merely continued to clean up. If a week went by without her challenging someone, a new Pirate King would be crowned.

"Hey, Liza, are you sure you want to challenge Yasopp?" Shanks asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't expect her to challenge his crewmember but then again, Liza was unpredictable. Why did she like challenges so much?

"Of course! What do you say, East Blue Sniper? Do you accept or do you retreat from my challenge? The choice is yours" Liza said as she eyed the male. He looked back at his Captain and Benn who shrugged and grinned.

"I accept!"

"Great! Then how about we make a wager on the winner? It'll make things a lot more interesting and there has to be some winning prize..." Liza trailed off and the men sweat dropped. Benn chuckled and shook his head. There she goes again...

"It sounds fair enough. What about we get one round free drinks and a song if we win?" Yasopp suggested and the men cheered behind him. Liza let out a sigh and knew that Shanks must've told them about her singing.

"Alright, I agree. If you win, you get one round of free drinks and I'll sing a song. However, if I win then your crew has to work at my bar for a whole week. They have to clean and scrub every morning before we open. That includes the Captain" Liza said and their eyes widened.

"W-WHAT?!"

"H-Hey, Yasopp! You better win this! No, we can still pull out...no we can't... You already agreed..." Shanks's eyes widened and he looked back at Liza who was smirking. She planned this all along. She made sure he agreed to do the challenge before setting the conditions.

"Deal"

"EH?! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" The entire crew exclaimed, excluding Benn, Yasopp, Lucky Roo and Shanks. "B-Boss! Say something!" Shanks let out a sigh and leaned back onto the bar counter while smirking.

"It can't be helped now, can it? A deal is a deal." Shanks said and the men all let their shoulders slump. He was right. The deal was made and there was nothing they could do about it but hope that Yasopp won.

"You drunkards! I don't remember saying you could stop cleaning, did I?!" Liza snapped at them and they quickly went back to work. Liza then looked back at the redhead Captain who grinned from ear to ear and smirked.

"All we need now, is a target. I'll get that on my way. Right now, I have to run some errands so I'll see you guys when I get back" Liza said before she exited the bar. Shanks watched as she left and grinned.

He couldn't wait.

* * *

 _ **Later on...**_

Liza softly hummed to herself as she walked through the streets of the small town. She had a medium sized bag slung over her shoulder. She bought a small amount of food supplies for the bar knowing that they were going to need a little extra with Shanks's crew partying there.

She smirked as she thought back at the bet she made with Yasopp, the Red Hair Pirate's sniper. She was interested to see what type of people Shanks made his comrades as well as to see what the sniper's skill was.

In her lifetime, she was the best sniper since she would always beat the others but maybe this time, there would be someone better than her. However, iit would also mean that she lost her edge and wasn't as good as she was years ago.

Liza heard a loud crashing as she passed a building and stopped in her tracks. She glanced at the store, 'Trinkets and Tronkets' and raised an eyebrow. Deciding that she was too curios for her own good, she walk towards the store. She gave a small knock and opened up the door.

"Um, hello? Is someone here?" Liza asked as he looked around at the dimly lit room. There were a bunch of boxes filled with old mementos and some of the things were still on the shelves. She heard a groan and her blue eyes shifted towards a bunch of boxes that seemed to fall onto each other.

"Ugh, sorry! We're closed! Come back later!" A gruff voice called underneath the boxes before an old man peeked out from underneath the carton. His dark green eyes met Liza's blue orbs and his eyes widened.

"Old man Boldo? What are you doing?" Liza asked with a raised eyebrow. She put down her bag of groceries and helped the older male out from under the boxes. The bald old man dusted himself of from the dust before he looked back at the dark haired female.

"Oh, Liza-chan! It's been a while! I was cleaning and boxing a few things when those boxes suddenly fell on me. I was surprised! I honestly didn't see that coming!" Old man Boldo said and Liza sweat dropped.

"I see... T-That's not what I meant, but anyhow. What are you doing boxing all of your merchandise away? Don't tell me your closing shop" Liza said, her brows knitting together and her face saddening.

"I'm afraid so, Liza-chan" Old man Boldo let out a sigh as he stacked box onto of another one and wiped away the sweat that formed on his temple. "Business has been going downstream since the beginning of the year" He said and sat down.

"No one wants to buy old antiques anymore. They'd rather buy the latest equipment and gadgets than go old school. I'm struggling to get some income and the repairs on the shop almost cost me an arm and leg" He said and Liza raised an eyebrow as she sat down on one of the chairs.

"Repairs?"

"Yeah, there was a group of thieves that almost stole everything in my shop if I didn't catch them. Then another group of pirates rampaged in my store when I refused to give them what they wanted. Ever since then, I haven't had more than ten customers" He replied.

Liza gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to hear that, Old man Boldo. It must be hard to close up business since you've been here for more than 11 years. I'd hate to see you go since you helped me get my own place" Liza said and the old man laughed.

"Hey, don't get emotional now! I couldn't let a nice girl like you go on your own! However, the time for me has come to settle down. I'm an old man now." He said and Liza huffed. He may be an old man but he was still someone you didn't want to mess with.

"Say what you want, I'm still going to miss you. I thought that you were going to sell that big piano I had there in my bar. I guess I'm permanently stuck with it now" Liza said and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"You still haven't found then owner yet?"

"No, for two years it's been a dead end. No matter whom we or where we go, we can't find this mysterious person. It's like they vanished off the map. That piano isn't moving anywhere now" Liza said before an idea crossed through her mind.

"Since there are a bunch of stuff you need to pack and carry why don't we come and help you? It's the least we can do!" She suggested after she thought about moving and the male's eyes widened. He brought his hands up and waved them in front of him while shaking his head.

"Oh no, I couldn't-""No, I insist!" Liza cut him off and stood up with a grin plastered on her features. "It's the least I can do for you since you always helped me out. Besides, I have some lazy drunken men over at my bar who would love to help out"

Liza was sure that they would help her out especially if she won the challenge. However, she had an idea that Shanks would help her either way. That was the type of man he appeared to be and she was sure that she could drag his men with her.

"Well, then I guess you already made your mind up. I'd love some help. I still have a lot of antiques downstairs in the basement but I'm done packing for today. Can you help me tomorrow?" Boldo asked and Liza nodded.

"Sure thing!" She replied before her eyes caught sight of something peeking out of one of the boxes. She bent down and pulled out a target. There were a few permanent marks on it but other than that, it was in perfect condition.

"Say, Old man Boldo, can I buy this? I need something new and entertaining in my bar and I have a challenge to win but I couldn't find any store with a target board" Liza said and pointed at the board making the old man glance up.

"Oh, that? You can have it for free. See it as a gift of gratitude for helping me out. Just be careful not to cut the bull's eye too much" He said and gave Liza a wink. Liza rolled her eyes but smirked at his words.

"I can't promise anything"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 19**_

Liza arrived back at her bar a while after she visited Old man Boldo. She was glad that she could help him out with his shop and pay back a bit of her debt. She knew she could never truly repay him for his kindness but she could try.

Years ago when she landed on 'The Conquest Line', he was the first one to take care of her. In the beginning, she worked at his shop until she made enough money to buy and start her new bar, which he helped her until her business was steady.

Since then, whenever she needed something, he was there for her and when he needing something she would help him right away. If he only told her, sober that he was moving then she could've helped him out but then again, he was a stubborn old man.

Liza chuckled and shook her head. Like she was one to talk. She knew very well that her stubbornness was something that always got her into trouble and she was sure that it would still get her into trouble in the future. Either way, the future would at least be interesting.

As soon as Liza opened the door and the small bell above it rang, everyone looked at her. She could already smell booze in the atmosphere mixed with the scent of cigarettes. They were already partying after they cleaned up.

 _Unbelievable. I told them to clean up, not to throw a party while I was away. Geez, these pirates are impossible. They're just like their Captain._ She thought and saw the redhead look back at her, a large grin plastered on his features.

"Oh, Liza-chan! You're back! We've been waiting for you! Come and have a drink with us!" Shanks exclaimed and his men joined in. Liza sweat dropped at their cheerfulness and merely shook it off with a shrug.

"Welcome back, Liza-san. Did you get the groceries we needed?" Aston asked as he served another table with mugs filled with sake. Richard was busy scolding another group who made a mess by spilling their alcohol.

"Yeah, I made sure to buy enough but I'm starting to doubt the amount" Liza said as she glanced around her. She let out a sigh and looked back at the youngster. "Take these to the back, will you? I have to put up a new board"

Aston gave her a look of confusion as he took the bags but nodded. He went to the kitchen to unpack the groceries and made sure to put some of the ingredients in the fridge so they won't get spoilt.

"Hey, Red Hair, I don't remember saying that you could enjoy yourself while I was gone? You were only supposed to clean this place up!" Liza said as she walked over towards the redhead, Benn, Yasopp and Lucky Roo who sat at the bar counter.

"The men did! They made it spotless and when you weren't coming back we decided to drink a little." Shanks said and Liza's eye twitched. This was what they called only drinking a little? They got worse over the two years.

"I need a drink..." Liza said and pulled out a beer mug, filled it and swallowed it down. She let out a satisfied sigh and refilled it again. She swallowed it down once again before putting the mug on the counter.

"Anyway, I hope you remember our little contest, East Blue Sniper. I brought a little something to use to decide who will be winner" Liza said with a wide smirk. She pulled out a target board and everyone's eyes widened.

Yasopp smirked and nodded as he put down his half filled mug. "Of course not. I've been waiting for you to return. I'm ready when you are" He said and Liza chuckled. She took a hammer with a few needles and walked to the sidewall of the bar.

She wasted no time in pinning the board to the wall and made sure that it was stable. She twirled the hammer in her hand and turned back to the pirates. Shanks smirked, impressed that she knew how to do her own tasks.

"Alright! This is how it's going to work!" Liza said and pointed the hammer at Yasopp. "We each have five turns. Each time we throw, we need to chug down three mugs of sake. That way, it'll be interesting and the winner can be spotted more easily.

Yasopp blinked a few times before he raised an eyebrow. "Well, that doesn't sound like a problem since it's only three mugs..." He trailed off and Liza's brow twitched. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine, we'll make it five"

"That sounds more like it!" Shanks exclaimed and Benn next to him chuckled. "You'll have fun and drink on the same time, Yasopp! You better win though... I don't want to be Liza-chan's slave... That's the most terrible thing possible-Gwah!"

"BOSS!"

The hammer that was once in Liza's grip hit Shanks right on his head and he fell off his chair. Everyone paled slightly at Liza's glare while Benn laughed along with Lucky Roo and Yasopp. Richard shook his head and Aston paled slightly.

"I can hear you, moron! I'll show you even something more terrible if you piss me off more!" Liza snapped at him and Shanks held the bump on his head. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and he sniffed as the bump throbbed in pain.

Liza let out a breath and looked back at Yasopp. "You ready? Let's begin!" She said and the men all cheered with her. Liza went to stand her distance and Yasopp joined her side. He pulled out his gun and Liza pulled out on of her blades.

"Oh? You're going to use a pistol? Interesting. Just make sure that you don't shoot any of your men, or I'll have to let you clean it up" Liza said and the men all paled while Yasopp laughed. He pulled back the trigger and pointed it at the target.

"No need! All I'll have to clean up is your tears" Yasopp said and Liza's eyes briefly widened. Shanks and Benn's eyes widened as they looked at the male in disbelief. He did not just say that. Was he looking for a death wish?

Liza burst out laughing and went to sit down at one of the tables. "I like you. It's a shame that I'll have to pick your ass, though" Liza said, a smirk on her face. She had a mischievous gleam that passed through her blue eyes and she played with the blade in her hand.

Yasopp's brows furrowed as his eyes narrowed and his finger moved on the trigger. A loud shot echoed through the bar and the bullet traveled straight towards the middle of the board. Everyone watched as he hit it and cheered.

Liza blinked a few times before she smirked. It seemed like she was going to have some competition after all. She watched as all the men cheered for Yasopp along with Shanks before he was served with his five beer mugs.

"It's your turn"

Liza huffed as she stood up, the blade still twirling between her fingers but never cutting her skin. Her boots hit the ground as her blue eyes made contact with the target. She suddenly stopped playing with the blade and everyone's attention was on her.

"Don't be so hasty." Liza flicked her wrist, sending the blade flying off towards the target. Everyone watched with amazed eyes as it hit the middle of the target on the spot of the bullet. Liza put a hand on her hat and chuckled. "It's bad for your health" She said and Yasopp stared at her.

Liza went to sit down again, her five beer mugs being served by Richard and she looked back up at the speechless sniper. "What are you waiting for? I'm not getting any younger, East Blue Sniper" She said and he snickered.

"Amazing, she didn't even waste any effort in throwing that blade. She's one impressive woman" Benn said as he still stared at the blade. Aston went to pull it out before he handed it back to Liza and served the rest of the men.

"Yeah, she is" Shanks said and Benn looked back at his Captain. "If I think how she took down Teach, it almost gives me chills of excitement. She's a strong fighter and the way she fights is graceful and beautiful"

Benn put the cigarette back in his mouth and inhaled deeply. He was surprised to hear Shanks's words but at the same time he could see the look in Shanks's eyes. He recognized the emotion that passed through his dark eyes when he talked to Liza.

However, he had to say that it was unexpected. He barely came back after two years and his behavior around her changed. It was strange. Benn exhaled, letting a large cloud of smoke come out of his mouth before he looked back at Shanks.

"It looks like her aim was accurate enough to pierce the heart too, neh?" Benn said and Shanks looked back at Benn. He gave his first mate a confused look and looked completely dumb folded by his first mate meant.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, it's nothing. You'll see soon enough. For now, let's just enjoy the show" Benn said with a smirk on his lips. Shanks let out an irritated sigh and looked back at Liza who threw on her second time, both of them still hitting the bull's eye.

"I don't get what you're saying but whatever." Shanks said and took a large gulp of his sake. He let out a sigh and grinned. "Go! Yasopp! Don't you dare loose! Liza-chan! Don't you dare win!" Liza snickered.

"You shouldn't tell me what to do, Red Hair. That's my job" Liza said and Shanks laughed. Liza returned her attention back towards the target and he shot it in the middle again. She had to admit, he was good, no great even after ten drinks.

"My turn!" Liza said and jumped up, the blade between her fingers. Yasopp laughed as he drank his booze and watched Liza. She pulled her hand back slightly, her pupils contracting and her eyes darkening. She flicked her wrist, and hit the middle again making everyone cheer.

They both drank their five mugs filled with sake, both enjoying the challenge along with the rest of the crew. It was more like a game that they playing for fun rather than competing against each other.

Once again, both of them hit the target right in the middle and they had to drink five mugs again. The middle of the target was basically gone from the bullets and blade pierces that it had to endure but it wasn't finished yet.

By now, Yasopp's cheeks were flushed along with Liza's and they seemed to be drunk, but then again no one knew. Liza watched as Yasopp pulled back the trigger of his pistol and aim at the target. The entire bar was quiet and waited for him to pull the trigger.

Everything seemed to slow down as he pulled the trigger and blue eyes watched as the piece of metal traveled towards the board. A smirk came onto her lips and she closed her eyes. Despite closing her eyes, she could see the bullet hit in the middle and heard everyone cheer.

Liza let out a sigh and sheathed her blade in her boot. She pulled out her dagger and twirled it in his palm of her hand before sheathing it again. She knew that if she were to hit it on the same spot again, they would be even but at this point, she didn't care.

"I have to give it to you, East Blue Sniper, you impressed me tonight. I guess that I have no choice but to sing a song" Liza said with a shrug and Yasopp grinned. Liza walked towards the stage where the piano stood and Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, Liza-chan! Aren't you going to throw your last turn? We'll never know if you're in a tie or not!" Shanks said and Liza stopped in her tracks. In a flash, she grabbed her dagger, spun around and threw it right in the middle of the target.

The wooden wall cracked slightly from the force and everyone stared at the dagger in disbelief. "H-Hey, she threw that dagger with an uneven edge right in the middle! She didn't even aim!" One of the men exclaimed as Liza walked towards the piano.

"W-Wow..." Yasopp murmured in his own shock and looked back at Liza. He didn't expect her to throw her dagger and let it land on the target like it was nothing. It was like she was a specialist in throwing knives and he was sure if she threw a person with that, he would be killed in an instant.

Aston stared at the dagger with wide eyes and his mouth was agape. He didn't know that his Boss was so amazing. It was scary. Richard saw the younger male as he served another table with drinks and grinned.

"She's strong. You shouldn't underestimate, Liza-chan. She's one of the strongest people that I know. We're nothing compared to her" Richard said and knew very well that he could never be as strong as Liza was.

Aston looked back at Richard before he averted his eyes to the ground. Even Richard said that Liza was stronger than they both were. How weak was he really? Liza always helped him when he came into fights but Aston could never stand up for himself. He felt so...pathetic...

"You ready, sea scum?! I'm only going to sing one song so you better enjoy it!" Liza yelled at them and they all cheered. Shanks patted Yasopp on his shoulder as he sat at the bar counter while Benn smoked his cigarette, a small smile on his lips.

 _Going to deliver the Bink's sake  
Following the sea breeze! Riding on the wave!  
Far across the salty depths! The merry evening sun!  
The birds sing as they draw circles in the sky!_

Liza played the piano why singing and everything went quiet in the bar. Everyone listened to her melodious voice while Liza briefly closed her eyes. She started to get lost in her own world as she sang and a small smile came onto her lips.

 _Farewell to the harbor, to my old hometown.  
Let's all sing out with a Don! As the ships sets sail!  
Waves of gold and silver dissolve the salty spray!  
As we all set sail to the end of the sea!_

Shanks grinned as he listened to her voice and once again felt a warm feeling spread within his chest. He didn't know if her voice could ever bore him. Every time he heard her sing, her voice somehow found a way to sound even more beautiful.

 _Going to Deliver Bink's Sake!  
We are pirates sailing through the sea!  
The waves are our pillow, the ship our roost!  
Flying the proud skull on our flags and our sails!_

Lucky Roo enjoyed his meat as he listened to her voice for the first time along with Yasopp who was glad that he won the challenge. Shanks wasn't kidding when he bragged about Liza's talent but it was sad that's he didn't want to be their musician.

 _Now comes a storm through the far-off sky.  
Now the waves are dancing, beat upon the drums!  
If you lose your nerve this breath could be your last!  
But if you just hold on, the morning sun will rise!_

Benn enjoyed his cigarette along with her singing. He closed his eyes and listened to her voice. Her voice had a smoothing effect and despite the song being alive, he felt calm. He missed her voice after two years.

 _Yohohohoho, Yohohohoo  
Yohohohoho, Yohohohoo  
Yohohohoho, Yohohohoo  
Yohohohoho, Yohohohoo_

The men started to sing along with Liza and she snapped slightly out of her trance. She looked back at them and wanted to laugh. She continued to sing, the men all behind her and she heard Shanks's false voice somewhere in the crowd as well.

 _Going to deliver Bink's Sake!  
Today, tomorrow, our dreams through the night!  
Waving our goodbye, we'll never meet again!  
But don't look so down, for at the night the moon will rise!_

The bar was filled with cheerful voices as everyone continued to party and enjoy their time. Drinks and food were served to them and they all laughed. Richard smiled as Liza continued to sing as he helped Aston with the orders.

 _Going to deliver Bink's Sake!  
Let's all sing it with a Don! A song of the waves!  
Doesn't matter who you are, someday you'll just be bones!  
Never-Ending, Ever-wandering, our funny traveling tale!_

It was night to remember and it was turning point in their relationship without any of them noticing it. They paid attention to other facts around them that they never noticed the reality right in front of their eyes.

A reality filled with confused minds and laughter shared by two new formed friends. Neither of them knew of the destiny that fate played out for them but slowly, very slowly, their hearts started to change and intertwine with each other.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 20**_

Liza was up early the next morning, dressed and ready for the day to help Old man Boldo with his packing and moving. However, she was the only one who was up early because the rest all lay passed out at the bar.

She put on her hat, grinned at herself in the mirror and exited her room. She had to admit that she enjoyed the previous night. She enjoyed partying with Shanks's lively crew and she enjoyed the challenge she had with Yasopp.

She even enjoyed drinking with Shanks again and it made her think that she missed the redhead after two years. At first she didn't want to admit it, but it was nice to converse with Benn and the rest of the crew. They were all a bunch of lively pirates.

Despite that drinking too much with them gave her a headache, she was sure that they were going to do it again. Luckily, she already swallowed down a pill and it was already taking effect. At least she had a remedy for a hangover even though it didn't always work.

When Liza came downstairs, she saw the men all sleeping, some even drooling on the table. She noted that it had to be the second time that she let pirates overnight in her bar. Usually she would kick them out but she found that when it came to this crew, she was fine with it.

She saw Shanks soundly sleeping, his straw hat still on his head and his face showing a calm expression. Benn, who sat next to him, was missing as well as Yasopp and Lucky Roo who sat on his left side.

Liza sighed and shook her head. They were already up and running instead of their Captain being active. Liza walked over to the bar counter, filled a glass with cold water and looked back at Shanks. She gently took off his hat, not wanting to damage it and threw him with the coldwater.

"Gah!" Shanks exclaimed as his eyes shot open and he almost fell off his chair. He was wide-awake and the first thing he saw was Liza standing in front of him while smirking. She had his hat in hand and an empty glass in her other hand.

"Liza?" Shanks winced when an aching pain rippled through his head and he groaned. He grabbed his head in result and immediately regretted opening his eyes. Why did he have to drink so much the previous night?

Liza chuckled and moved to fill the glass with water. She pulled out a small bottle and popped open the lid. She took out two pills before she closed it and put it away. The poor male felt the same as she did earlier.

"Here, you can drink this. It'll help with the hangover" Liza said as she put the glass of water in front of Shanks and held the pills in the palm of her hand. Shanks opened his one eye to look at her bright blue eyes and took his hands off his head.

He silently took the pills, swallowed them with the water and let out a sigh. His eyes started to adjust to the light that illuminated in the room and he managed to push aside the pain he felt in his head.

"T-Thanks, Liza, I hope they work quickly. Geez, did I drink _that_ much last night?" He grumbled out and Liza smirked. She twirled the straw hat that she still held in her hand around and sat down on one of the chairs behind the counter.

"No, you drank even more. Next time, I promise that I won't encourage you to drink more otherwise I'll have to take care of this little hangover in the morning" Liza said in a playful tone and Shanks gave her a dry look.

"Hey, don't give me that look. Besides, it'll only be for a few more minutes before your headache disappears. Until then, let's go, Red Hair" Liza said as she put his straw hat on his head before she walked towards the door.

Shanks adjusted his hat and looked back at Liza with a confused facial expression. He noticed most of his men still passed out and sweat dropped. It seemed like they partied a little too much the previous night.

"You coming, Red Hair?"

"W-Wait! W-Where are we going?" Shanks asked as Liza opened the door but she ignored his cry and walked out. Shanks let out a sigh and grabbed his cape before he followed the female outside where the bright sunlight aided his throbbing head.

"Liza-chan~! Why do we have to be outside? Can't I go rest a little while more~?" Shanks moaned, his shoulders slumping and his eyes luckily covered in the shadow of his hat. Liza shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't 'Liza-chan' me, Red Hair. What are you a child? You're a man! Get over it and come with me. We have a lot of work ahead of us since your men are all hopeless. I guess we'll have to do it ourselves. Well, it can't be helped" She murmured the last part and Shanks blinked in confusion.

He was about to ask her what she was talking about but someone else spoke up and intercepted his words. "Oh, morning, Liza!" Benn's voice reached Shanks's ears and his brow twitched. Benn sounded very cheerful.

Liza glanced to her front and saw Benn walk over towards them with a barrel on his right shoulder. He had his usual cigarette lit and a small smirk came onto his lips. He wasn't fazed by a hangover a all.

"Morning, Benn. I see you're very busy unlike some people I know" Liza briefly glanced back at Shanks before she looked back at Benn. "Where are the other two? When I came down earlier neither of them were there"

"You mean Yasopp and the others? They went to get a few barrels from the ship. We drank a lot last night so we thought we could bring a few barrels of sake that we got on our journey" Benn said and Liza huffed while crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's very generous of you, Benn, but I'm sure that you'll only finish them when you party here again." Liza said and Benn chuckled. That was true. He glanced back at Shanks and saw the male trying to hide his eyes from the bright sun.

"Morning, Boss" Shanks vaguely waved. "What are you two doing out here? Is there something you wanted to do, Liza?" Benn asked as he found the situation very amusing. Liza dragged Shanks out against his will and his poor Captain had a terrible hangover.

"I was just dragging this Redhead to an old friend of mine's place. I promise that I'd help him packing and moving his stuff. Since your captain had nothing to do, I decided to drag him along" Liza said and Shanks's eyes widened.

"Hey! You never told me that!"

"I did" Liza said and gave Shanks an oblivious look. "Just now" Shanks almost fell over at her words while Benn sweat dropped. Shanks quickly regained his composure and let out a sigh. He walked right into that one.

"Fine, let's go and help this friend of yours already. The faster I get inside a dark room, the better" Shanks said and pulled his hat over his eyes with a groan. Liza rolled her eyes and started to walk on, Shanks following.

"We'll see you later then, Benn. Make sure that you get the men up and running! I don't want them sleeping the entire day! I have a bar to run" Liza said and Benn nodded. He waved them off before he walked towards the bar.

Shanks came in next to her as he felt his headache start to subside and glanced up at her. "So, who is this friend you're talking about? Is it one of your bartenders?" Shanks asked and Liza smiled while shaking her head.

"No, I've known him longer than them. He's the one who helped me get my own place. When I first came to The Conquest Line, I didn't have anywhere to go and he took me in. He gave me the funds to start my own place and helped me a lot along the way" Liza replied and Shanks smiled.

"Oh? Really? He sounds like a nice guy. Then I can't wait to meet him! Thanks to him I can enjoy some good sake!" Shanks said with a wide grin and Liza laughed. Shanks snickered in result and Liza smiled.

They walked in a comfortable silence and passed some of the people who resided on the island. Others started to open up their shops while some of the early birds bought freshly baked bread and food.

They finally arrived at the shop and Shanks glanced at the name. 'Trinkets and Tronkets'. It was a strange name and he had to admit that he never came across a shop with such a unique name despite sailing across the Grand Line.

Liza knocked twice on the door before she turned the handle and walked inside. The door was open which meant that Old man Boldo was already there and busy packing his things. He sure was an impatient man.

"Old man Boldo! We're here to help you! Where are you?" Liza called as Shanks entered the shop and the redhead glanced around. "Where is that old man? I told him that we would help him today..."

Most of the things were already packed in boxes that were neatly stacked on top of each other on the side wall of the shop. However, there were still a few trinkets and antiques on some of the shelves of the shop.

"Wow, this is an antique shop, isn't it? Your friend must have a bunch of interesting things here!" Shanks exclaimed and Liza nodded. "But, why is he closing down? Bad business?" Liza nodded and stacked a box on top of another one.

"You can call it that. People don't want to buy antiques anymore and he had a few problems with pirates the last couple of years. The repairs were more than his income and he decided to close up shop" Liza explained and Shanks frowned slightly.

"Here we go! Another one down-Oh, Liza-chan! I didn't hear you come in!" An old male said as he came out form the back. Liza and Shanks sweat dropped and they both immediately thought about the male's bad hearing.

"You're earlier than I expected you to be! Moreover, you brought a friend. I'm sure things will go faster with a bit of help" The older male said and put the open box on the bar counter with another grunt.

"Well, he wasn't doing anything anyway" Liza said and gave Shanks a playful look. "Anyway, Old man Boldo, this is 'Red Hair' Shanks a friend of mine" Old man Boldo's eyes widened while Shanks smiled at the old timer.

"Nice to meet you"

"Likewise. I didn't expect to see this rookie here on our little island. Liza-chan, you have some interesting friends. Did you meet in a fight?" Boldo asked and Shanks gaped slightly. Did Liza only meet people in fights?

"Oh no, I met this obnoxious pirate two years ago when he came into my bar. I don't think I would last long if I fought someone of his caliber. He has a strong spirit" Liza said and Old man Boldo's eyes widened.

Liza was actually admitting that she would lose to someone. That was definitely a first. Usually Liza would challenge strong people but not in this case. Instead, she praised the male on his strength and it had him thinking... How strong was the rookie?

It was very rare, if ever, that Liza admitted that someone was stronger than she was and it was mind baffling. She had a lot of pride and would always challenge someone who is bound to lose at her monstrous strength. He knew that well but this rookie didn't seem to know about Liza's strength.

"So, where should we start? I can see that you've packed away a lot of things already but there are still a few things left" Liza asked and managed to snap the male out of his haze. He shook his head from the thoughts and looked back at her.

"You can pack in the remaining of the antiques here in the boxes against the wall. Just be sure to be gentle and not to break anything. When you're done, you can go to the basement and continue the packing from there" he instructed and Liza nodded while Shanks looked around.

"Whoa! You have some interesting antiques here, old man! It must've taken you a long time to get of all these things collected" Shanks observed as he stared at the remaining antiques on the shelves and Boldo chuckled.

"Yeah, it took me a while to get some of these antiques and some of them almost cost me an arm and a leg." Boldo said before he turned back to Liza. "Would you excuse me for a while? I need to arrange a ship to carry my cargo when we're done packing"

"Sure, no problem. We'll handle things here until you come back" Liza said and the male nodded. She watched as he walked out without another word. She went to the right side of the shop where a box already stood open and empty.

"You should start packing your things away too, Red Hair, you're getting too excited instead of working" Liza said as she packed the antiques gently into the box. Shanks chuckled, pulled closer an empty box and took an object in his hand.

"I know, it's just amazing! Look at this! It's a compass! You rarely see these around nowadays since we travel with log poses!" Shanks said as he pointed at the small round object in his hand. Liza shook her head and sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

Shanks was practically enjoying himself too much and played with the antiques instead of packing them away. In a way, it was agitating but then again, she had to admit that his presence made her feel at ease.

"Excuse me, Miss, I believe that I am a work of art, am I not?" Shanks spoke up behind her in a deeper voice and she glanced back at him. She blinked a few times before she burst out laughing against her will.

Shanks held a painted portrait in hand over his features and the pose he held with the rest of his body matched almost completely. The painting was that of an older male with a bold head and a mustache.

"You're definitely a work of something, that's for sure. Now stop joking around, Red Hair. We still have a long way to go and you're barely packed in anything" Liza pointed out as she turned her attention pack to her shelf.

"Aww, don't be like that! You just laughed! If joking around meant that you'd laugh then I don't have a problem doing it" Shanks said and Liza's eyes widened. She felt her face heat up and almost dropped the snow globe she held in the palm of her hand.

He bluntly said those words without even feeling embarrassed or shy. What was with this guy? Why did she feel embarrassed? Either way, he caught her off guard and she didn't like being caught so easily.

She put away the snow globe and shifted her position before she turned back to Shanks, her facial expression serious. "Listen here, Red Hair, you can't just play with every little thing you touch-Hey! Listen to me!" Liza yelled when Shanks tried not to laugh.

"What's so funny?!"

Shanks slowly lifted up his index finger to point just above Liza. "Y-You have antlers!" As soon as those words left his mouth, he burst out laughing and almost rolled on the ground. Liza's blue eyes traveled back towards a trophy of a reindeer and realized that she did look like she had antlers.

Liza wanted to be angry at the male for pointing that out and as soon as her angered expression met his extremely amused laughter, her anger diminished. She soon joined in with his laughter. Shanks grinned at her and Liza waved him off.

However, the small smile that came onto her lips never left and she could feel the minor warmth she had on her cheeks. In the end, it seemed to be a good idea to bring the redhead clown along and she enjoyed their little work more than she knew.

More than both of them knew.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 21**_

Liza let out a breath as she wiped the small trail of sweat that slowly formed on her forehead. She put a heavy box onto of another one and nodded in satisfaction at her work. Shanks out another box next to her and dusted off his hands.

"There, that should be all of the antiques here upstairs. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. You're not too bad, Red Hair" Liza said and gave Shanks a playful hit on his shoulder before she received a large grin.

"See? Time flies when you're having fun! Now all we have left to do is the basement, right?" Shanks asked and Liza nodded. She flexed her hands slightly and she could feel that they stung a little from the heavy lifting.

Shanks's eyes immediately shifted towards her hands that Liza massaged a bit. He suddenly took her hands in his and her eyes widened. He gently touched the bandages' skin and his brows furrowed slightly.

"What are you-""Good, they're not bleeding. You need to be careful, Liza. I'll carry the boxes from now on. I don't want your wounds to open again" He said and Liza noticed the earnest emotion of concern dance in his eyes.

Liza's blue eyes traveled towards the small bandage on his forehead where his scars stuck out from underneath and her brows knitted together. Liza huffed, crossed her arms over her body and walked forward, not looking where she was going.

"My hands are fine. I can lift these boxes without any effort. Don't underestimate me, pirate" Liza said as she glanced back at Shanks. "I may not be able to use them in combat, but they're fine to carry things"

Shanks let out a heavy sigh and shook his head in disapproval. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" His words seemed to please Liza since she smirked back at him. She returned her attention in front of her but accidently missed a step.

"Oh shi-Ah!" Liza fell down in a dark hole beneath the floor that she didn't even see. She mentally cursed herself for not looking where she was going before she felt the wood of stairs hit her body. She grunted as she rolled onto a hard and cold floor before she groaned.

"Liza! Hey, Liza! Are you alright?! Where are you?!" Shanks called as he ran towards the opening and looked down only to see darkness. He heard her groan and narrowed his eyes to try and see something within the darkness.

"I'm fine! I just didn't look where I was going!" Liza said and let out a sigh at her slightly aching muscles. She couldn't see a thing in the basement but knew there had to be a lamp she could switch on somewhere.

"Hold on, I'm coming down-""No, wait!"

It was too late. She heard Shanks yelp after he took a step miss and he tumbled down the stairs much like she did. Liza let out a silent cry when he landed on top of her and Shanks grunted on the impact.

It was much softer than he expected.

"Ugh... You idiot, didn't I tell you to wait? Do you ever listen?!" Liza snapped at the male in the darkness before she felt him move slightly. Her face heated up when she felt something grab hold of her breast.

"WHERE ARE YOU TOUCHING, PERVERTED PIRATE!" Liza kicked Shanks away in the darkness and quickly covered her chest. Her face was on fire and her breathing was heavy. Shanks hit something hard and groaned.

"W-what did you do that for, Liza? Ow, that was my head I hit" He grumbled out the last part while holding the bump that was slowly starting to form. He heard scurrying in the darkness before a lamp was lit.

It took him a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the suddenly bright room before his eyes rested on Liza. She gave him a glare which lethalness was hidden beneath her flushed face and embarrassed expression.

He saw her cover her chest and blinked a few times. He looked back at his hand and then her again before his face heated up as well. He touched something soft in the darkness but he never knew that he...actually...touched...

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I-It was an accident! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He apologized while waving his arms around in front of him. Liza took a deep breath and swallowed down both her anger and embarrassment.

"Whatever, it was an accident... I guess..." She murmured and then turned her attention towards the room. It was quite spacious but it was filled with weapons that were lined up against the wall, many weapons.

"What the...? Hey, what's with all these weapons?" Shanks asked as he pushed himself up from his crashed position. He went to walk in next to Liza, her blue eyes also wide in shock. Neither of them could believe what they were seeing.

"I-I don't know, or I don't think I know. I never knew that Old man Boldo had this much weaponry beneath his antique shop. No wonder pirates regularly attacked this place" Liza said and Shanks's brows furrowed.

"Hey, Liza, how much do you actually know of Old man Boldo? Is he a pirate that trades with weapons? Maybe an underground broker?" Shanks asked and Liza shook her head. She didn't think he was an underground broker and she definitely knew he wasn't a pirate.

"I know that Old man Boldo was once a Marine Captain but he resigned a few years back. He did tell me that he was once caught with illegal trading and that the Navy was furious. That's why he resigned but he never told me he was a weapon dealer!" Liza said, her eyes gleaming with confusion.

"Well, he didn't have any shame in hiding it from you. He told us to come down here and pack away everything" Shanks said as he looked around at the collection of weapons. They consisted, of swords, guns, blades and there were even two bags filled with gunpowder.

"I... I... I don't understand... Why would Old man Boldo have this? In all the years I knew him he never hid anything from me. We were always honest with each other" Liza said, feeling a sting of betrayal in her chest.

All the years she knew the old man, they always told each other everything and never hid any information from each other. However, he never told her that he had a basement filled with dangerous weapons and gunpowder.

"Well, you say that you've known him for a while right? Maybe he felt ashamed to tell you but it could also mean that he didn't tell you because he didn't need to. Maybe these are just weaponry that he's had here for a long time" That wasn't the case though.

He knew that the gunpowder was about two weeks old and by looking at the manufacturing of some of the weapons he would say that they were still newly crafted. Something was up and he didn't like the feeling that washed over him.

"If you can just follow me to my basement then I can show you that I got everything you need" Old man Boldo's voice entered the shop. Shanks's brows furrowed when he felt other presences also enter and looked back at Liza.

He quickly grabbed her when she wanted to storm out and she gave him a look that showed her mixed feelings. Anger. Betrayal. Hurt. He shook his head at her and held tighter onto her when she wanted to get loose.

"You better have our stuff, Old man. I don't want to piss the boss off again but luckily this time he'll direct that anger towards you" Another unknown voice spoke up and Shanks's eyes widened when he saw a shadow form on the stairs.

He quickly put out the lamp, grabbed Liza's wrist and pulled her beneath the stairs in the dark where they could hide. Liza was about to snap at him but he held a finger over his mouth as a way to tell her to be quiet.

"No, everything's here. I made sure to get everything you wanted" Old man Boldo said as he walked downstairs and lit the lamp. He immediately knew the smoke he smelled was still fresh and looked around but found no one.

"Oh-ho! Looks like we did hit the jackpot! The Boss will be pleased indeed. Hey, you scumbags! Load these weapons into the boxes and get them onto the ship!" The slim, black dressed male called and more footsteps descended the stairs.

"This is everything you asked for. Can you please take your price and leave? I did my part, now it's time for you to do yours" Boldo told the other male and Liza gritted her teeth. Shanks could feel her fist shaking and put a hand on her shoulder to soothe her slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The male pocketed his hand before he pulled out a medium bag and tossed it towards Boldo. "Full payment and our trading will be off from now on. Oh, and the Boss asked me to give you one more thing as a gift before we leave"

Liza, Shanks and Boldo's eyes widened when the male pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the old man. Liza was about to jump out but Shanks put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer while putting his hand on her mouth to silence her.

She struggled against him but Shanks held her tightly. He knew if they went out now that they were going to be shot and Boldo as well. He was not going to have Liza endangered again but he knew that Boldo was her friend despite him betraying her.

The situation was impossible.

"H-Hey! I did what you told me! I never missed an order and I vowed that I would never tell anyone of our trading! This wasn't part of the deal!" Boldo exclaimed, his teeth gritted and his fists clenched by his sides.

"The deal changed. It's nothing personal, Old man. It's just a little warning for those who leave the contract" The male gave Boldo a grin filled with malice and pulled the trigger, a loud noise echoing through the shop.

Liza let out a muffled cry in Shanks's hand and her blue eyes were wide in horror along with Shanks's. Boldo clutched his right shoulder as he fell on his knees on the ground and glared back at the man.

"Nice doing business with you, Boldo" The male said, sheathed his weapon and walked on the stairs with the rest of his men. He suddenly heard something muffled and his eyes widened along with Boldo's.

Shanks mentally cursed and Liza stopped moving. She looked at the shadow that loomed above them and waited until he moved. Luckily, it wasn't long before they went upstairs and left with the weapons and gunpowder.

When Shanks could sense their presences go farther away from him, his grip on Liza loosened and he pulled his hand off her mouth. Not wasting any time, Liza ripped herself out of his grasp and jumped out from underneath the staircase.

"Old man Boldo!"

"Liza-chan! W-What are you doing here?! Y-You could've gotten yourself killed!" Boldo yelled at her, his eyes wide with fear. He then winced at his shoulder that he held and blood slowly trickled down his arm.

"No, she would've been fine because I was here. Now, old man, you have some explaining to do. Why were you trading weapons with those underground brokers?" Shanks asked, his expression serious and his eyes piercing.

Liza's eyes briefly widened and noted that it was the first time she saw him so serious. He had a deep frown plastered on his lips and his brows were furrowed. She could even see a vein throb out from his head.

"I...I know... Liza-chan, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about all of this but I didn't want you to get involved in my mess. These people... If you mess with them it meant death and the last thing I wanted was to put your life in danger." He said and Liza's brows furrowed.

"You could at least tell me that you were in arms dealing. However, I thought that you stopped trading as soon as you resigned from being a marine! How long have you been trading these under our noses?" Liza asked and Boldo briefly closed his eyes.

"Seven years" Liza's eyes widened and she found that she was speechless. "They found me and threatened to hurt the people of the town if I didn't do what I asked them to do and because I had my own place, it was ideal to have arms dealing here" He explained.

"Who's their Boss?" They looked back at Shanks, his face still serious and his arms crossed over his chest. "Who is the one they work for? The one you've been trading all these weapons to?" He asked and Boldo swallowed thickly.

"He goes by the alias 'Joker"

As soon as Boldo's reply left his mouth, Shanks's eyes briefly widened while Liza raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Joker? I've never heard of him before" Liza said, a frown on her lips but Shanks grunted.

"It's a new underground broker that appeared in the Grand Line about a year ago. He has contacts everywhere and they even see him as the most trusted person already. He's dangerous. I can't believe that you would get yourself into such a mess" Shanks said and let out a sigh.

"I didn't have anything to do with him until a year ago! Before that there were other people that threatened me and it was like an on and off job. I swear I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt! I just wanted to protect everyone" He said and averted his eyes to the ground.

"Old man Boldo, don't you realize that you put everyone in more danger by engaging in dealing with them?" Liza asked and his eyes widened. "But, what's done is done, we can't change anything now. You should get that wound fixed up while we finish up down here"

Liza stood up and Boldo looked at her with wide, teary eyes. "Even after I lied to you, you still want to help me?" He asked and Liza let out another sigh. She needed a cigarette to calm her nerves and a drink to make her relax.

"Yes, because you took me in when I had no one. Besides, I promised that I would help you. I never go back on my word" Liza said and tears started to fall from the Old man's face. He murmured a soft 'thank you' while Shanks looked at Liza.

She was acting as if nothing had changed despite the truth being thrown at her harshly. He could see that her bright blue eyes darkened a bit but she kept her face impassive. She was strong. She didn't let any emotion slip passed her.

Shanks watched as the old man left to get his wound fixed up and looked back at Liza to see her cold mask falter slightly. He saw her clench her one fist to tightly that blood started to drip off the bandage.

He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it slightly. "Let's finish up here and go for a drink. This time you can drink some of our sake. It's a healing remedy from my hometown" He said and Liza relaxed slightly and nodded.

She needed a smoke and a drink.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	22. Chapter 22

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 22**_

The bar was rowdy, as always with the group of Red Hair pirates that didn't know when to stop partying. Since the sun sat a few moments ago, they started to drink and enjoy the calm atmosphere, sake and food.

"I wonder where Liza-chan and Shanks are. I haven't seen them the entire day. Does it take that long to pack up a shop?" Richard said, as he stood behind the bar counter, busy drying a beer mug and his eyes glancing through the bar to make sure everyone was satisfied.

Benn let out a breath filled with smoke and looked at the male with a smirk forming on his lips. He had seats open by his side and was the only one who sat at the bar counter. Yasopp entertained the rest by playing with the new target and Lucky Roo ate a usual piece of meat.

"Believe me, with Shanks with her it's going to take a long time. He has a way to get distracted very easily. Liza probably has her hands full with him" Benn stated in an amused tone and let out a chuckle before inhaling his cigarette again.

"Talking about hands full, didn't you have another helper around here? I haven't seen him since last night. Are you sure you can handle all these men?" Richard huffed while putting down the mug down and slung the cloth over his one shoulder.

"It shouldn't be a problem. I've been working as a bartender for four years now, I don't think I'll have a problem. But yes, the kid's name is Aston. He hasn't come in to work, instead he left a letter behind saying he had to take care of something. Liza's going to be livid" He said with a sigh.

After that statement, the door swung open to reveal Liza and Shanks was right behind her. Everyone glanced at the door and some of the men welcomed them with wide grins, a drink in one hand and a mouthful of food.

"Welcome back, Liza, Boss. We were just talking about you! How did it go? Did you enjoy helping an old man move?" Benn asked but his question was immediately answered by the way Liza stomped inside the bar.

"Richard! Two drinks!" Liza ordered, her brows furrowed and a deep frown on her lips. She sat a chair away from Benn while glaring at the wooden counter. Shanks went to sit between them and let out a sigh.

"I take it that it didn't go so well. What happened? You were quite excited this morning" Benn pointed out as Richard served Liza a mug filled with sake and Shanks. However, Liza gulped down both of them in a flash and let out a satisfied sigh.

"The old man had a few skeletons in his closet and lied to Liza. He had himself involved with dangerous men and the Underground Brokers" Benn's eyes widened at Shanks's words and looked back at Liza.

"You think you know a man, only to realize you have no idea who anyone really is. I've gotten so dull over the years that I couldn't even see that he was hiding something from me. Pathetic" Liza twirled her fingers to reveal a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

Benn's face softened and he let out a breath before he suddenly noticed his cigarette was gone. His eyes shot towards Liza before they widened. When did she-? Shanks shook his head, also confused as to how she stole his cigarette.

"It isn't your fault, Liza-chan. People always have secrets that they keep and sometimes it's for the best. If they told everyone their secrets then they'll be rejected from society" Richard said and served each of them a mug filled with sake.

"Richard, have I ever rejected anyone?" Richard's eyes widened. "Have I ever given anyone a reason to doubt me? Why can't people trust me? I'm not society. I don't reject people." Liza said before she inhaled the cigarette again.

Richard averted his eyes while Shanks looked at Liza, his brows furrowed. Benn lit a new cigarette for himself and gave Liza a faint glare for stealing his. He didn't even know that she smoked, but once again he was reminded that she was the most unpredictable woman he ever met.

"You're too hard on yourself, Liza. You're not the problem if people don't share their secrets with you. They have a problem with themselves and with what they're hiding. Don't beat yourself up over this" Shanks said and Liza let out a heavy sigh, filled with smoke.

"You always have something to say, don't you, Red Hair. I'd like to see the day where you're speechless for once" Liza said and the edges of her mouth slightly curled up making Shanks grin back at her.

"I'd like to see that too, Liza, but he has a way with words. You won't be able to shut him up even if he has a terrible hangover" Benn said making Liza chuckle and Shanks glared at his first mate. Richard blinked a few times before a faint smile came onto his lips.

"Say, Richie, where's the kid? Wasn't he supposed to come and help today? I don't remember giving him off. He'd better not slack off or he won't be able to even sleep when I'm done with him" Liza threatened and the three men sweat dropped.

She was back to herself.

"Um... About that... You see, Liza-chan..." Richard stuttered with a slightly pale face but decided to pull out a piece of paper. "He left this behind. I found it this morning". Liza raised an eyebrow at the action before she was handed the written letter.

Dear Liza-san,

I'm sorry that I didn't arrange earlier but something came up and I have to go work out some business. I'll be back soon and I'll be sure to work through all the possible shifts to make up for my absence.

Aston

By the time, Liza finished reading the letter, her eyes were hidden beneath a shadow and her hands gripped the paper tightly. Richard, Shanks and Benn paled and for that moment, they expected her to explode from rage.

"Gah! I don't care anymore! Let him do what he wants!" Liza exclaimed and threw the paper into the air. Richard was quick to grab it and looked back at Liza. She gulped down her sake and then stood up from her chair.

"H-Hey, L-Liza-chan? Where are you going?" Shanks asked, not actually wanting to ask the enraged female. Liza huffed in reply before she went upstairs, no other words exchanged between them and she left the males with their own thoughts.

"Maybe it wasn't the best choice to show her this letter but what's done is done. She probably went to cool down a bit. She had a lot of things on her plate right now. Everything seems to crash down onto her simultaneously" Richard said as he refilled the males' mugs in front of him.

"Yeah, first her reunion at the grave, then the secrecy of the old man and now the kid not showing up." Shanks said and let out a sigh. He glanced up at the staircase, worry gleaming through his eyes and he hoped that she would be alright. Maybe he should check up on her...

Shanks shook his head and looked back at Richard. "You know, she wouldn't have so much drama if she sailed the seas with us. Every day is a party," Shanks said and his men all cheered behind him to back up his statement.

"Oh, Liza-chan can't go out to the sea. She avoids even coming close to the salt waters. The closest she comes to the water is when she visits her old captain's grave. She refuses to set sail again" Richard said and Shanks grunted.

"Yeah, I thought that you would say something like that. It's because of the deal with the Navy she made, right?" Shanks said and Richard's eyes widened, his mouth gaping. Benn immediately stopped smoking and looked at Shanks.

"W-Where did you hear that?! No, who told you about it?!" Richard suddenly whispered harshly, not wanting to exclaim loudly and draw attention of the other crewmembers. Shanks's brows furrowed slightly and he leaned his cheek on the palm of his hand.

"Liza told me. She didn't explain the situation though. She merely said that she made a deal with the Navy so I assumed that it has something to do with her not being able to set sail. Do you know what it's about?" Shanks said and Richard's brows furrowed.

"N-No, I don't really know a lot about it. I know that Vice Admiral Garp always have a way to pop in here a few times a year but she always talks to him alone. All I know is that she made the deal, came to this island and her bounty was lowered" Richard said and Benn raised an eyebrow.

"Lowered? It seems strange but then again they wouldn't just take away her bounty since she was a pirate. They probably lowered it since she has her own place and she's not a threat to anyone but... What was her bounty?" Benn asked out of curiosity.

Richard swallowed thickly and looked around before he came closer to the two males to whisper the answer. He didn't want anyone to know of her real bounty and he definitely didn't want her to know that he told them.

"450 000 000 beli"

"W-WHAT?!" Shanks exclaimed, his eyes widened along with Benn's. Richard hushed the male and Shanks took a shaky breath. Her bounty was that high?! What on earth did she do to get that high bounty?! It was higher than his!

"Richard!" The three men went rigid at Liza's voice that came from above the staircase. Richard paled and reacted fast when something was thrown towards him. He blinked a few times and realized that it was a guitar. His guitar.

"Get ready, we're performing tonight" Liza said as she came down the stairs, her hands wrapped in clean bandages. "You're playing since I can't play with my injured hands so man up and get yourself ready"

They blinked a few times before looking at her with dumbstruck expressions. "What's with those looks?! I said that I was going to sing! It's not that difficult to understand!" Liza snapped and Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure, Liza?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Besides, I always feel better when I sing and I owe you one for helping me out today. You could be a bit more grateful, though" Liza murmured the last part while putting her hands on her hips.

"I am! I would help a lot more if you would perform to show our gratitude! There's nothing I love more than listening to your voice and drinking!" Shanks said and Liza's eyes briefly widened while a blush crept on her cheeks, drawing Benn's attention.

"Hey! How can you compare Liza-chan's singing with drinking? Of course her singing is much better than drinking yourself drunk and not even remember what happened the previous night!" Richard defended Liza but yelped when his ear was pulled.

"I thought I told you to get ready, didn't I? Geez, you're impossible! Now, get on that stage before you blab out another piece of personal information" Liza scolded the male and his eyes widened. She did hear them!

Liza said and smirked back at the men. "Do you now see why you're still only rookies, Red Hair? Try to catch up to me, will you?" Liza said and gave him a wink making him grin widely at her. She went up to the stage and sat down.

"Alright, you scumbags! I'm going to sing one more night so you better enjoy it while it lasts! No free drinks tonight!" Liza said and the entire bar whined in reply. Liza nodded at Richard and he let out a shaky breath before he started to play the guitar.

He started slowly to get used to the feeling again before he started to play faster. Liza smirked at the male and the bar looked at him with wide eyes. They didn't think that he could play, but Liza did. She just needed to get the reason for him to play again.

He had the talent and she enjoyed it when he played by her side. They made a good team, if only he wasn't so shy. Liza returned her attention to the men sitting in front of them before she took a deep breath.

 _It's 'bout as bad as it could be  
Seems everybody's buggin' me  
Like nothing wants to go my way-  
yeah, it just ain't been my day  
Nothin's comin' easily_

Liza sang, the beat making everyone in the bar grin. She tapped her hand on her hip as the beat continued and a smile came onto her lips. She entered her own word once again and briefly closed her eyes.

 _Even something as simple as  
Forgettin' to fill up my glass  
There ain't no explanation why-  
Things like that can make you cry  
Just gotta learn to have a laugh_

Shanks listened as she continued to sing and tapped his finger on the counter. Benn watched his Captain as he enjoyed Liza's voice and a chuckle escaped his lips. He inhaled his cigarette and smiled as he continued to listen to her.

 _Up-Up-Up  
Can only go from here  
Up-Up-Up  
Where the clouds gonna clear  
Up-Up-Up  
There's no way but up from here_

They were both clueless to what was actually right in front of them but he was simply going to let them be. He wasn't going to change or tell them anything. They had to see for themselves what was right in front of them.

 _When everything's is goin' wrong  
(Don't you worry 'bout it)  
Don't worry, it won't last for long  
(Don't you worry 'bout it)  
Yeah, it's gonna come around  
(Don't you worry 'bout it)  
Don't let it get you down  
You gotta keep on holding on_

Richard started to sing along with her, only adding a few phrases softly and Liza's smile widened almost into a grin. Her blue eyes opened up and met a pair of dark eyes shining beneath a straw hat that covered red strands.

 _It's 'bout as bad as it could be  
(Bad as it could be)  
Seems everybody's buggin' me  
(Everybody's bugging me)  
Like nothing wants to go my way-  
yeah, it just ain't been my day  
Nothin's comin' easily_

They both smiled at each other, neither of them noticing that everything had stopped for a moment or the way they stared at each other. Instead, they stayed ignorant and enjoyed the rest of the night with the rest of the scum of the sea.

 _Up-Up-Up  
Can only go from here  
Up-Up-Up  
Where the clouds gonna clear  
Up-Up-Up  
There's no way but up from here_

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 23**_

 _ **A week later...**_

Liza softly hummed inside the kitchen as she prepared the food for the customers. Richard was out in front busy serving drinks to the rowdy bunch while Shanks and his men went to fetch a few groceries as well as alcohol.

They've been docking for little more than a week and each night was a fun time with the men. It didn't even cost her as much since they brought more alcohol and made sure that they helped where they could.

They were quite a strange group of pirates, but Liza liked them. Usually pirates would drink, eat, get drunk and then leave them to clean up after them. Shanks's men were different and helped her out a lot.

A smile crept on Liza's lips and her blue eyes softened as she plated up. The bandages she once wore were off and she could use her hands as freely as she wanted to. There were only small traces of scars on her hands but it could barely be seen.

She was relieved to find that she could use her hands freely again and the nagging pain in her leg was also gone. She was glad to be back to normal and Shanks's as well. The scars he had over his eyes were healed, but didn't fade at all.

It still bothered her in a way but she didn't say a word. She knew that he would merely tell her it was his decision and that he didn't care for a few scars. That was just the type of person he was. Reckless but caring.

A chuckle escaped Liza's lips and she took a few plates in her hands. She carefully balanced them before she exited the kitchen, the delicious aroma of the food immediately catching the men's attention.

"Alright! Time to eat, scumbags!" She exclaimed and the men cheered while holding their mugs in the air. Liza served each table with a plate of food, their mouths almost drooling when she put the plate down.

"Thanks for the meal! If you cook more food like this I think I might come here for food instead of drinking!" One of the men joked and the others laughed. Liza took a few empty beer mugs and chuckled at the male.

"Well, as long as you pay, I'll serve you anything what you want" Liza said and the men's eyes widened when a thought crossed their minds. "On the menu, that is" The men whined in reply and she rolled her eyes.

She spotted Richard sitting at the bar counter, his small journal in front of him. Here she was thinking he was serving the customers drinks. She shook her head and moved in behind the counter to refill the mugs.

"Richie, what did I tell you about slacking off when you work? I know you're trying to write that new song but you have to work as well" Liza said and Richard let out a sigh with a nod. He closed the book and let his shoulders slump.

"I know. It's not like I've gotten anywhere either. I wanted to write it after our performance gave me inspiration. I guess it's not going to come that easily" Richard said as Liza went to serve the men beer mugs filled with sake.

"Well, maybe I should take a look at it. I can give you a few tips if you need them. Besides, the faster you write the song the faster you can go back to work again" Liza said but Richard's brows furrowed and he shook his head.

"No, I don't need help. I know I can do this! If this song is done then you can go ahead and sing it. Until then, I'll struggle on with the life of a writer and a bartender." Richard said and caught the empty mugs Liza chucked at him.

"You better. Since Aston hasn't come back we've been working nonstop. It's getting on my nerves that he didn't tell us anything more or even told us he wasn't coming back." Liza grumbled out before she sat down behind the bar counter.

"Like I said! It's not like that, Benn! Could you stop bringing this up?! You've been at it for days now!" Shanks's obnoxious voice reached Liza's ears and she glanced at the door where the redhead entered.

"If it's not like that, then you wouldn't be to flustered, Boss. Admit it, I'm right. You're just not willing to take that risk" Benn, who entered after his captain spoke up and Liza raised an eyebrow. What were they arguing about?

"I'm a pirate, Benn! I can take risks as I like! I am willing to take that risk!" Shanks said before his eyes widened and Benn's smirk widened into a grin. "No! I-I mean that... It... Shut up! You're giving me a headache!"

"Geez, you can be a bit quieter. What are you arguing about this time? Every time I send you out to run some errands you come back arguing" Liza pointed out as she turned, grabbed two beer mugs and filled them.

Shanks ordered his men to take the groceries and barrels into the kitchen before he and Benn sat down at the bar counter next to Richard. Benn lit up a new cigarette while Shanks grumbled something beneath his breath.

"I was just illuminating something for the captain but he's too stubborn to admit it. He's just as stubborn as you" Shanks's eyes widened and he glared at Benn while Liza put down the beer mugs filled with sake.

"Hey, don't pull me into your argument here. I'm just serving drinks, making food and keeping my customers happy. I have nothing to do with this" Liza said as she sat back down again, glancing around to make sure that everyone was still satisfied.

"Actually, Liza, it is about you-""Benn! I told you to shut up, didn't I?! You want me to throw you in the ocean?!" Shanks snapped at the male while grabbing his shoulders. Liza watched as the redhead's face redden as well and Benn chuckled.

She shook her head and let out a sigh. "You've been arguing like this about me? That's ridiculous. I'm not that interesting to argue over. But seeing as Red Hair doesn't like to talk about it you can tell me later on in secret" She smirked and winked at Benn while he nodded.

"Oh no, you're not!"

"Calm down, Red Hair, I was only kidding. Have a drink, it'll calm your nerves" Liza said and urged the male to drink his filled mug. Shanks stared at her for a few seconds before he gulped down a drink and Liza vaguely nodded at Benn who grunted.

"Hey! I saw that!" Shanks put his mug down hard and glared at the two. "I'm serious, Benn, if you tell her about this I will kill you" He threatened and Liza burst out laughing despite the death threat on Benn.

"You're just too gullible, Red Hair. I haven't seen you so panicked and angered before. If it upsets you that much then I won't look into it. You have my word" Liza said and Shanks grunted, still unsure if he should trust her.

Liza noticed Richard sit on the other side more quiet than usual. She expected to see him with his nose in his songbook but he merely sat there with a troubled facial expression. Her brows furrowed and her blue eyes rested on him

"Richie, what's wrong?"

"Liza-chan... I'm worried..." Richard said, his brows knitting together and drew the attention of the other two males. "It's been an entire week since we last heard of Aston. I don't think he'd leave us hanging like this. I'm sure he would've told us why he doesn't come back by now"

"I know" Liza replied and Richard's eyes snapped towards her. "Aston is a nice kid and he would never slack off on his work like this. Richie, I know you're worried but Aston said it was some business he needed to handle. It's his own trouble he has to sort out"

"But-""No buts, Richie. If we kept sorting out the kid's problems for him when will he learn to stand up for himself? What will happen if we're not there and he has to sort out his own problems? He won't know how to. He must learn how to stand his man" Liza said and Richard nodded vaguely.

He knew that she was right, but he couldn't shake off the worried feeling in the pit of his stomach. Liza saw that he wasn't going to let it just go and her face softened. She knew he was worried and she had to admit that she was too.

It wasn't like Aston to just run off like that and never come back. When she offered him the job, he was almost too ecstatic to work with her and he loved working at the 'Dine and Dash'. That's why something wasn't right.

"Hey, Richie, can you hold the fort for a while? I'm going to ask around to see if someone heard anything about him or if they have seen him" Liza said and Richard's eyes widened, relief seemed to wash over him.

"Thank you, Liza-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me when we found him. I'm just going to ask around, if he doesn't show up tomorrow, we'll go look for him. Don't break down the place, alright?" Liza said as she grabbed walked towards the exit of the bar.

"Liza, do you want me to join you? I can come along and help ask the people. It should take less time that way" Shanks offered and glared at Benn that gave him a smug look. Liza huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"What am I? A damsel in distress? There's no need to come along, Red Hair. You have to help Richie keep an eye on the bar. Besides, I know these folks. I doubt they would say anything for a stranger pirate. Don't worry, I'll be just fine" Liza said and exited the bar.

"Liza-chan should be more than fine. She knows this island like the back of her hand and she knows who to ask for missing persons. She'll be fine" Richard tried to assure Shanks who sighed and turned back in his seat.

"I know... She really has a soft spot for that kid, huh? Despite saying that he needed to sort out his own business, she still went to look for him." Shanks said and Richard chuckled with a nod. He stood up from his seat, seeing a customer needed a refill and went to grab his mug.

"She's always like that"

* * *

Liza walked through the town, her blue eyes skimming through the people and the buildings. She knew that she had to go and hear if anyone had seen the male but silently hoped that she would bump into him while looking around.

It seems like luck wasn't on her side today.

She let out a sigh, pocketed her hands and then continued to walk through the small crowd of people. As usual, they were a friendly bunch, used to the pirates always coming to the island and always knew when they had to close up shop for the day.

"Oh, Liza! It's been a while since I saw you here! I was surprised when that Straw Hat pirate said that he was getting groceries for you! I take it he's a friend of yours?" A female spoke up and Liza's blue eyes met her brown orbs.

"Hey, Ann. Yeah, you can say he's a friend of mine. He helps out a lot in the bar by cleaning and bringing income." Liza said as she walked towards the small vegetable stall outside of the grocery shop.

"Oh my and he's handsome at that. You've got yourself quite a catch" Ann said and Liza's eyes widened while her face heated up. "I wish I can get a man like that. Maybe I should set up my own bar..."

"I-It's not like that, Ann! Don't go and make assumptions like that!" Liza snapped and let out a sigh. "Whatever. I wanted to ask if you saw Aston around here. He hasn't come in for work and I'm worried that he got himself into trouble again"

"The young attractive one with the big smile?" Liza sweat dropped. "No, I haven't seen him around, sorry. You should go and hear if Victor's seen him. He knows where to find people" Ann answered and Liza nodded.

Liza left with a wave and a 'thank you' before she headed off towards the store of Victor. She knew that she should've gone to him first but it helped to ask where she could. That way she could maybe get in something that she missed.

"Yes, yes, I know, but I told you before! If it doesn't fit the prescription I gave him, I don't want it. Sorry, but you'll have to cancel the order." A male said and his worker nodded before he left without another word.

"Victor?"

"Ah, Liza! What a surprise! Did you come here to buy some new mugs and plates? Did those barbarians break them again?" Victor, a fairly tall male with dark hair and and ebony eyes, asked as he sat down on his desk.

"No nothing like that. I wanted to ask if you saw Aston, the young rookie who worked at my bar, around here. I haven't seen him for a week" Liza asked and Victor tapper his finger on his chin before grunting.

"Oh yeah, I saw him. He was walking around here in a haste about two days ago. One of my workers even said that they saw him going into the old abandoned shop. After that, they didn't see him again" Victor replied and Liza's brows furrowed.

"Thanks, Victor. I'll drop by when I have to buy new mugs and plates!" Liza waved back at the male and went off on her own again. The old abandoned shop? She knew of it but she never went there since it was usually a place to get you into dangerous trouble.

 _What did you get yourself into, kid?_ Liza briefly wondered before she snapped out of her thoughts. She felt it. She was being followed. Between all the people, she knew there was someone who followed her and this person had an unknown presence.

She continued to walk towards her destination and pretended as if nothing was going on. She would lead this unknown person in the old abandoned shop before she questioned him. She had a feeling that he knew where Aston was.

Luckily, the old shop wasn't too far away and she soon reached an alleyway, leading towards the side entrance of the wooden building. She felt him behind her and put her hand on the hilt of her dagger before she entered the abandoned space.

"I know that you're following me. Show yourself!" Liza snapped, her hand gripping the handle of her dagger tightly. Her blue eyes darkened and glared at the cloaked figure that entered the building before closing the door.

"No need to get hostile. I was just told to follow you and lead you here, Red Menace" The male held his hands up in defense while pulling down the cloak over his head. Liza's eyes widened and she growled before stepping into a stance.

The male's face was half burnt on the one side and he had a tattoo of some sort on the side of his neck but it was hidden beneath his cloak. His hair was cut into a short mohawk and he had piercings in his ears, nose and near his eyes.

"Lead me? What are you-?" It was a trap. Liza's eyes widened before they darkened more, her hair slowly lifting up from her dark presence. "Where's Aston? What have you done with him? Talk before I make you!"

The male laughed. "You're not in any position to order me around. Besides, you should me more worried about yourself than that weak willed kid. You'll see him soon enough" The male gave her a malicious grin before he snapped his fingers.

"Remember the name, 'Poisonous Snake Pirates'. See you soon" The male said and Liza pulled out her dagger. She was about to attack him before a strange smell reached her nose. Her eyes widened and her hand immediately went to her mouth.

 _Sleeping gas?!_ She thought but was too late to stop herself from inhaling it. Her vision started to swim and she dropped to her knees. She weakly glared at the male, who pulled on a gasmask, his eyes gleaming with evil.

 _I...have to...get out of here!_ Liza could feel her consciousness starting to fade and gripped her dagger tighter. She shouldn't have let her guard down. What was going on with her? She never let someone get the best of her!

"Go...to hell!" Liza threw her dagger towards the male and cut the skin of the side of his neck, cutting the tattoo before it impaled the wooden wall behind him. He watched as she gave him a deadly glare, a shiver running down his spine.

However, it didn't last long and her eye lids shut closed. She fell onto the floor, unconscious and helpless. The male pulled out a small Den Den Mushi and dialed an unknown number. It rang a few times before it was picked up.

"It's me. I caught her."

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 24**_

Time passed back at the bar but Liza didn't come back and neither did Aston. Not only was Aston missing but it seemed like Liza was too. The men felt uneasy and it didn't take long until Shanks stood up.

"I'm going to look for her" Shanks said as he put the palm of his hands down onto the bar counter, his brows furrowed and his eyes serious. He wasn't going against the feeling in his gut and he wasn't going to take his chances when it came to Liza.

He knew that she was strong, he knew that very well but it wasn't always a strong person to win a fight. Even if he found her still looking for Aston, he was still going out to find her. He would take the scolding when it came.

"I agree. She's been gone too long and I don't like this feeling." Benn said, his teeth biting down on the cigarette in his mouth. His eyes gleamed with worry and he wondered where she was. She would've came back by now.

"I'll come with you" Richard said and they glanced at the male. "I know these parts too and I can go ask around if they saw her, but we should still split up and look for signs" Shanks grunted and turned back towards his men.

"Yasopp, Lucky Roo, take a few men with you and look for Liza. The rest, stay here and contact us if she came back. Benn, you're coming with me and Richard. Let's go find her!" Shanks ordered and everyone grunted.

Richard was surprised to see how calm and collected Shanks were. His behavior almost seemed out of character from his usual laid back and obnoxious nature. However, he could now see why Shanks was a Captain.

"The first place we should go is Victor's place. He knows everything about everyone and I'm sure that Liza-chan would go to him first too." Richard said as he grabbed his brown jacket and stepped outside of the bar.

"Lead the way. The rest of you, split up! Make sure you have a Den Den Mushi with you!" Shanks ordered the men and they nodded before they all scattered in different directions. Shanks looked back at Richard and the male nodded.

He led the way and walked through the small crowd of people. The people slowly started to walk away and some of them went back to their homes. The market was only busy early in the morning but when it started to get darker out, things got quiet.

"Something isn't right here" Benn spoke up and Shanks glanced back at his first mate. "Liza goes out to look for her bartender but goes missing herself. There has to be someone behind all of this and I get the strange feeling that it was pirates" Shanks grunted, his brows furrowing.

"Same here. Despite not trusting a marine in the least but I don't think they would do it. Why would they kidnap a kid without any bounty? Doesn't make sense. Moreover, Liza has a peace trading with them" Shanks concluded and Richard swallowed thickly.

"If it's pirates, we have to hurry up before they sail off this island or we won't have a chance to catch them!" Richard said and the other two men nodded. Richard could feel panic wash over his and his heart beat loudly in his chest.

They finally came to a familiar shop and Richard was quick to enter it. Shanks and Benn slowly joined him, glancing around as they did so. They had to keep their eyes open for suspicious people as well, but found none.

"Victor! Victor! Are you here?! Victor!" Richard called, seeing no one in the front of the shop. Soon enough, a familiar male peeked out from a door that led to the back. He raised an eyebrow as he stepped out of the door.

"Richard? What are you doing here?"

"I need to ask you something and it's very important. Have you seen Liza-chan earlier today? Do you maybe know where she went?" Richard asked and Victor blinked a few times. He raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Yeah, she came by earlier today to ask me if I saw that Aston kid. I told her that the last time someone saw him was when he entered the old abandoned store a few blocks from here. Why? What happened?" Victor asked and glanced back at the other two men standing behind Richard.

"I don't actually have time to explain but Liza-chan's missing too. If you see her coming by, contact me immediately" Richard gave Victor a piece of paper before he exited the building, Shanks and Benn following.

"Do you know where this old abandoned shop is?"

"I do and luckily it's close by. Let's hurry!" Richard said and they nodded. They followed the rushing male, the nagging feeling in the pit of their stomachs rising. They had a bad feeling as soon as they got to the abandoned shop.

"You stay out here while I go look inside. Someone might come here that we missed" Richard said and Shanks nodded reluctantly. He wanted to go with but trusted Richard and stayed outside, his eyes darting around along with Benn's.

Richard approached the entrance of the building and gagged at the awful stench that approached his nose. It smelled familiar but he couldn't quite place where he smelled it before. He entered the shop only to find that it was completely empty.

He looked around for any signs that might show him that Liza was there. He coughed at the strong stench before his eyes widened when something shining caught his attention. It was Liza's dagger, impaled in the wooden wall.

"Shanks! Benn! I-It's terrible!" Richard called and the two males snapped around as soon as they heard him call for them. Richard ran to them, tears forming in the corner of his eyes and Liza's dagger in his hand.

"Richard, what's going on? Is that... It's Liza's dagger... Did you find it in there? Hey, answer me!" Shanks asked, panic rising in his system. He took the dagger in his hand before his eyes widened at the bloodstain on the blade.

"S-She's gone! T-They took her!"

"Who took her, Richard? Who took Liza?" Benn asked, much more calmly than Shanks but his brows furrowing. Richard couldn't get the words out and gave Benn a piece of paper. Benn bit down hard on his cigarette and bit it in half.

"P-Pirates!"

Shanks grabbed the piece of paper from Benn and looked at the symbol sketched on it. Shanks could feel anger boil in his veins and he gripped the paper. He recognized the symbol. It was the symbol of the Poisonous Snake Pirates.

"Benn-""I'm already calling them." Benn replied with a transponder snail in his hand and it rang. As soon as it was picked up, Benn talked. "Everyone! We'll meet you at the ship! Hurry up! We're going to get Liza!"

 ** _"Understood!"_**

Benn put down the transponder snail before he and Shanks nodded at each other. "Let's go. Richard, go close up the bar. We'll meet you back at our ship." Shanks said and Richard nodded. They scattered in different directions, all of them thinking the same thing.

Getting Liza back.

* * *

A groan escaped a pair of plush lips as consciousness slowly returned through the dark void of sleep. Blue eyes slowly fluttered open and tried to blink away the blurry vision. With a fuzzy mind and stiff limbs, the blue orbs took in their surroundings.

 _Where am I?_

Liza moved her arms and heard a clinging noise. She glanced back and saw that her wrists were cuffed and chained against the wooden wall behind her. She struggled a bit before she let out a heavy sigh.

It seemed like she got herself into trouble. She vaguely remembered that she went to the abandoned shop to look for Aston. There was someone who followed her...sleeping gas...a tattoo...her dagger!

She glanced at her side to see it was missing and a growl escaped her throat. Now she remembered clearly. She was going to get that bastard for kidnapping her. He was going to wish that he was never born.

"My, my, look who finally decided to wake up. It took you long enough" A husky voice spoke up and Liza's blue eyes immediately darkened. She glared at the male as he stepped inside the room a large smirk broke onto his lips.

"Now, what's with that look, sweetheart? Aren't you glad to see me?" He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I told you that I would see you soon, didn't I?" Liza struggled against her chains and a deep frown came onto her lips.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"I guess I should answer your questions while we wait for the boss" He walked towards a wooden chair and pulled in closer towards Liza. He sat backwards on the chair, almost in Liza's face and her brows furrowed.

"The name's Odell, first mate of the Poisonous Snake Pirates. I told you to remember that name" He chuckled and Liza growled at him. "You're currently on our Captain, Hades's ship." He said and Liza blinked a few times, her eyes narrowing soon after. She knew that name.

"Oh? Does it sound familiar? It should. 'Psychic' Hades Easton, worth 200 million beli. He has a higher bounty than yours, Red Menace" Odell said, proud of his captain's bounty but his grin soon fell into a frown when Liza chuckled darkly.

"Yes, I've heard of him. No one really cares about him, since he's just another rookie on these salt water. If he's only worth 200 million, then he's not going to even be enough to kill my boredom" Liza stated, her smirk widening.

Odell stared at her for a few before he laughed. "You're priceless! Though, if you didn't have such a strong will then it wouldn't be worth breaking you bit by bit. It's going to be fun when Captain toys with you" He said and Liza huffed.

"That's _if_ he can break me. A lot of people tried, but they didn't get anywhere. What makes you think that your captain can do anything different?" Liza asked, her eyes shining dangerously but Odell didn't stand down.

"That's because they tried to break you, physically...but what about mentally?" Liza's brow twitched. "I'm sure you're hiding some horrifying things inside that pretty little mind of yours that Captain will bring out. Before you know it, you'll be a begging puddle on the-Gah!"

Liza's boot connected with the male's face and he was sent flying back against the opposite wall. The wooden chair was broken from the force and Liza's once bright blue eyes changed into a dark blue, her hair floating up slightly.

"Y-You...kicked me?" The male touched his broken nose and winced. He wiped away the blood that ran from his mouth and glared back at her. Liza glared at him, her blue eyes scanning the damage she did before she smirked.

"It's an improvement"

"You-!""That's enough, Odell. Don't let her rile you up" A new voice spoke up and Liza's dark presence vanished without a trace. Her eyes widened and she looked back at the figure walking towards them.

"Don't give me orders, newbie! You're a hundred years too young to start bossing me around!" Odell snapped back at the male. He smirked, brown eyes gleaming and his brown spikes bounced slightly until he stopped.

"Oh, that reminds me. Captain wanted to see you. He said something about you coming here without asking permission" The male said and Odell's eyes widened. He immediately paled and sweat trailed down the side of his face.

"You bastard. You'll pay for this! Mark my words!" Odell snarled at him, his anger boiling out of his system. Odell pushed the male out of his way and went back up towards the deck, his nose still bleeding.

The figure huffed and pocketed his hands. He looked back at Liza's shocked expression and walked towards the female. His smirk fell away and he gave her a cold, expressionless stare but her blue eyes didn't falter in the least bit.

"It's been a while, Liza- _san_ "

"A-Aston?" She was uncertain for a few moments as she stared at the male but the more she looked at him the more she realized that it really was him. He was standing in front of her in one piece and relief washed over her system.

"Thank goodness, you're alright" She said and let out a sigh of relief. Aston's brow twitched and a frown came onto his lips. Liza relaxed somewhat and a small smile came onto her lips. She was almost more than relieved to find that he was fine.

"We've been looking everywhere for you! Where were you? Our hands are full at the bar and Richard's worried sick about you! You could at least send us something that you were okay, but it doesn't matter now. We can go back to the bar" Liza said, her smile still present.

"I'm not going back" It was a simple statement, but it made Liza's eyes briefly widen. She looked back at Aston's cold expression. What was going on? What was going on with him? She didn't understand.

"Hey, kid, stop joking around"

"I'm not joking. I'm serious." Aston said and Liza's brows furrowed while a deep frown came onto her lips. "I'm not a kid anymore either. My name is Aston, learn it and use it or are you too self-centered to use people's real names?"

Liza was about to reply but there was a sudden laughter that echoed inside the room. Liza's eyes snapped towards the male who entered and narrowed. He and two other males entered, none of them of whom she knew.

"Well said, my boy! She can't boss you around anymore! Look at her, just pathetic. Who would've thought that the legendary Red Menace could be caught so easily" The male said as he came into full view and Liza growled.

He was 'Psychic' Hades Easton. She saw his face on a few bounty posters but never considered to look into the male. There were always a few people talking about him at her bar and they all said the same thing. People went insane when they fought him.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Either way, we caught her and she can't do anything. Except my first mate's nose but that's Odell's problem. He should learn not to go against my orders" Hades said and put his hand on Aston's shoulder, Liza's eyes glancing between them.

"What's going on here, _Aston_ " Liza asked, her voice dangerously low and a sickening feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. She already had a feeling that she knew the answer but wanted to hear it from him.

"I'm a member of the Poisonous Snake Pirates" Aston said and pulled his shirt slightly to reveal the familiar snake tattoo she saw on Odell. Her eyes briefly widened and then narrowed, her fists clenched tightly.

"What?"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 25**_

It was preposterous! Was he actually serious? She never thought the day would come that the young male who worked at her bar would make such a stupid decision. Join a pirate crew? Did he have a death wish?

"Yes, my little Aston-chan is part of my crew now. The poor thing. He came here all pathetically, a way to get stronger and I just had to reach out to him. He's much better now that he's with us. He isn't a lowly coward anymore" Hades said and Liza growled.

"Aston! Are you going to let him insult you like that?! You joining his trash crew? Stop kidding around! You're a bartender at my bar, not a scum of the sea!" Liza yelled at the male, but his expression stayed cold, unreadable.

"He's not working with you anymore. He's part of my crew now. Why would he stay with you? You're just-""Shut up. I'm talking to _him_. I don't recall asking you anything" Liza dangerously snapped at Hades and his eyes widened.

His men growled at her and wanted to attack her but he raised a hand to stop them. They look back at their captain before they stood back again. Liza then turned her attention back towards Aston, her brows furrowing.

"Answer me, Aston."

"I was weak and I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to throw my pathetic self away and become someone who would be able to fight his own battles. But you wouldn't let me. You kept fighting everything for me, scolding me like a child, making me feel useless" He said and her eyes widened.

"I came here after Captain Hades offered to make me stronger so I could no longer stand in your shadow. Now I don't need you or Richard-san anymore. I don't need you to boss me around anymore" Aston sneered and Liza's brows furrowed.

"You honestly think that you won't be bossed around anymore?" She asked and his eyes briefly widened. "When you're working underneath him, he'll just use you and boss you around more. You have to follow your captain's every order."

"Don't listen to her, Aston-chan, she's just messing with you. She wants you to go back to her where she can treat you like a little wimp again. She's manipulating you" Hades softly told Aston and Liza's anger flared.

"I'm not! You are! Now shut up and get away from him!" Liza snapped angrily at the male, his eyes widened when he heard the chains almost snap loose from the wall. He growled at her and took his arm off Aston's shoulder.

"Aston" Liza said and looked back at him. "I never knew that you felt that way. I should've taken in your own feelings every time I stood up for you. I should've let you fight your own battles. I was wrong. I'm sorry" Aston's eyes widened.

"But, you were never weak. Physically, you aren't the best built, but you have a sharp tongue. You always picked fights and never let anyone step on you. I admired that a lot. That's what made you strong. You don't need to part of a pirate crew to be powerful" She said, her blue eyes gleaming.

"If you choose to join them, then fine. That's not for me to decide, but you can come back with me. We can go on with our lives and I'll teach you a thing or two about fighting. What do you say?" She asked and noticed that Aston's eyes were wavering.

"I...I..." He was struggling deeply inside and seeing him in such a state made her angry to the core. What did they do to him? Why was he being so cold? He was never like that. Whatever they did, they were going to pay dearly.

"Nice try, Red Menace, but Aston-chan isn't going anywhere" Veins started to throb painfully out of her skin and she gritted her teeth. "He's staying right here with us. I won't let my comrades leave once they're part of us" Hades said before his eyes widened when Liza growled at him.

She jumped up onto her feet and pulled back her one leg. She was about to kick him, but Aston was quicker. His hand shot up and the chains behind Liza pulled her back against the wall. She hit the wood with a loud thud and gasped as her wind was knocked out.

Liza opened her eyes and looked back at Aston. When did he-? He was a Devil's Fruit user? She felt the iron cuffs around her wrists tighten and gasped out in pain when they started to dig into her skin, her teeth gritting tightly.

"That's enough, Aston-chan. I'll take things from here" Hades said as he put a hand on Aston's shoulder. He let his hand fall and his expression turned cold like before. Hades walked towards Liza and bent down in front of her. He forcefully grabbed her chin and made her look at him.

"That was some move you used, Red Menace, but it won't work. You see Aston-chan ate the iron-iron fruit. He became an iron human and his reflexes are superb. You won't be able to lay a finger on me-AH!" He exclaimed and grabbed his head that pulsed in pain.

Liza hit him with her head and spat to the side in disgust. "You're right. I won't be able to lay a finger on you, but there are other ways that I can hurt you" She snapped back at him and he glared at her. He stood up, his eyes glaring dangerously at her.

"You know what I love about wenches like you? The way they beg me and kneel before me in hope to receive mercy" He said, his frown starting to form into a sick grin. He outstretched his hand towards her and Liza's eyes narrowed towards him.

What was he planning?

"You see I ate the Mind-Mind fruit and became a Psychic human. I break everyone mentally and it's going to be my greatest pleasure to break you, Assassin" He said, everyone's eyes widened except Liza who smirked.

"In other words, you mess around with people's mind, breaking and twisting everything what they know into nightmares. Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but everything inside my mind is already twisted. You can't break me" Liza said and he grinned widely.

"We'll see about that... Traumatic Memory!" He exclaimed, the palm of his hand glowing slightly and Liza's eyes widened. She cried out when she felt him enter her mind and gritted her teeth as an old memory flooded through her mind.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _"Captain! Captain! Where are you!?" Liza called as she ran through puffs of smoke and burning pieces of wood. She had cuts and bruises all over her body and her right arm was uselessly hanging by her side._

 _"L-Liza...?_

 _"Captain Hendrickson! Thank goodness! You're still with me!" Liza said as she ran towards the male covered in burnt wood. She pried the pieces off him despite the wood burning her hands before her eyes widened in horror at the sight._

 _The lower half of his body...was gone. Only his upper body remained and there were thick blood all over his clothes. Liza's hand went up to her mouth in shock and tears formed in the corner of her blue eyes._

 _"H-Hey, don't give me that look. I've been worse" Hendrickson coughed up blood, his body aching but the pain slowly fading into something more cold. Liza put her hand beneath his head and lifted him up slightly before she let his head rest on her leg._

 _"Y-You're going t-to be okay. I know that there are medics on the island. I'll take you there and get you patched up. I think the others are there already-" Liza glanced up in terror and saw the lifeless bodies of her other comrades, all bloodied and some even had limbs missing._

 _"S-Sorry, Liza-chan..." She looked down at her captain. "I-I don't think I'm gonna make it this time. T-They got us good. Y-You have to go on without me" He coughed more and panic washed through her entire system._

 _"D-Don't talk! Please! Hang on!" She cried and tears slowly started to fall from her eyes. They dripped onto his bloodied clothing and her body shook slightly. "Y-You can't leave me alone. Please" He smiled at her, his breathing ragged._

 _"Y-You're not a-alone. I-I'll still be here. J-Just not by your side. Y-You have to go on and live out your dream, just like you've always wanted. I-I'm sure the right man will come in your life. Until then, don't forget about me, okay?" He said and Liza shook her head._

 _"I promise! I'll never forget about you! But you have to stay with me!" Liza said and looked around. "Someone! Anyone! Help! Please!" She felt him put his hand on hers and she looked back down at him, his smile widening._

 _"Don't lose your way, okay? See...you later...Liza..."_

 _He let out his last breath and his hand fell limp to the side. Liza's eyes widened and her body suddenly became cold. She looked at her hands, covered in blood, his blood. She shook him slightly but received no response._

 _"Captain...? Captain...? Hendrickson... Hey, don't joke around..." Tears fell freely from her eyes and she gritted her teeth. "HENDRICKSON! NOOO!" She yelled, her body shaking as she cried but he was gone. Along with the rest of the crew._

 _She was all alone._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Liza fell onto the floor, her breathing heavy and tears cascading down the side of her face. It felt like she was there again. It felt real. The pain, the blood, the coldness of his body. She coughed and looked back up at Hades who gave her a smirk.

"Welcome back, how was that? It looks like you were easier to break that you thought. You're a mess!" He laughed and Liza gave him a weak glare. However, it was quickly gone when the image of Hendrickson flashed through her mind.

"Y-You'll pay for this... I-I swear... Just like they did! I'll make you pay just like they did!" She snarled at him, her hair rising as a dark presence seeped out of her body. His eyes widened and he jumped back.

He suddenly saw images of broken, bloodied bodies, each one stacked up against the wall. Some had a knife through their head, other their limbs and others their chest. He watched with terror as Liza's hands drips with blood, her dagger a red smudge of what it used to be.

Then the image shifted and he saw Liza paint something against the wall over one of the dead bodies. Where did she get red paint? No, it wasn't paint... It was blood. She painted a pirate skull with the blood of each of the pirates she killed.

Then, she crossed it out and stepped back. The wall was covered in blood painted skulls with the bodies of the pirates sitting against it. Her tears fell onto the floor but she had a wide grin on her face.

 _"Did you see that, Hendrickson? I killed them for you. I killed them all for you."_ Her voice echoed through his head and then followed by her laughter. It was raw and he heard a few sobs break through the maniac laughter before he came back to reality.

His face was pale and he sweat bullets. His body felt cold and he came to look back into dark blue eyes with killer intend. He yelped and moved away from her, fear taking hold of his body and he swallowed thickly, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Y-You monster!"

"Lovely, isn't it? That's how I'm going to use your blood. I'm going to bathe in it, enjoy painting with it and burn down your ship, letting you rot at the bottom of the ocean!" Tears still fell from her eyes but a sick grin covered her lips.

"H-Ha, I-I'd like to see you try. Y-You're not getting free. You're going to die here" Hades said and slowly stood up. "Let's leave the monster here. I'll come back later to finish the job" He led the men out and Aston was the only one to glance back.

His heart broke when he saw Liza's head fall onto the ground, her tears flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't stop them anymore. He then looked back at the stairs and walked up towards the deck, leaving Liza behind.

 _"Liza... It's okay to cry."_

Her eyes widened and she looked up. That voice... It was Shanks's voice. She looked around, but didn't see the male anywhere. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. The pain in her chest rising again.

 _"I'm here to carry that pain with you"_

"N-No...Y-you're not...W-Where are you?" She murmured softly and put her forehead against eth floor below her. He wasn't there to carry the pain with her. She was alone. Just like she was when they all died.

 _"You're not alone. I'm right here with you"_

She felt a familiar warmth come over her and she felt the pain slowly being pushed back. The horror filled images slowly faded away in her mind and a grinning Shanks came into her thoughts. Her tears stopped flowing and her body started to calm down.

 _"See? You feel better, don't you?"_

"Y-Yeah... It's so warm... You idiot, you always have a way of making me feel better" She said and could practically hear the male laugh at her. She smiled and her body seemed to relax completely in the warmth.

 _"That's because I love your smile. See? You're doing it now"_

Liza laughed softly and her smile widened. He was there with her. She was so deeply lost in the darkness of her mind that she forgot about the people who was there for her. She made peace with her past, but only because Shanks was there.

 _"Don't forget about us, Liza"_

"I won't. I promise." Liza repeated as she did in her memory and wiped the tears away. She didn't have time to cry. She knew that she wouldn't be able to get out of there easily, she needed help. "You better be on your way... Shanks" She heard him laugh and could almost see him smirking.

 _"We're on our way, don't go anywhere"_

Liza chuckled, the light in her bright blue eyes returning. "Where would I go?" She said aloud and let her head fall back against the wooden wall. She closed her eyes and succumbed to the warmth that surrounded her.

"Stupid, Straw Hat..."

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 26**_

Liza's blue eyes opened up when she heard the sound of a door swinging open. It was followed by footsteps and she glanced to her side to see someone approaching her. Her brows twitched slightly as she tried to figure out who it was.

She didn't know how long she sat there against the wooden wall but she was sure that it had been quite a while. She could feel her limbs were stiff from staying cuffed to that one spot and her wrists ached from the open skin.

"You look better" Aston's voice reached her ears and her eyes briefly widened. He stepped into the room, his cold expression replaced with a calmer look. There was no one else around him and she felt relieved to see him almost back to normal.

"Well, I had to snap myself back to reality or otherwise I won't be able to get us out of here. I can't let something get me down longer than it has to. You know that" Liza said and Aston vaguely nodded, his brows furrowed slightly.

"Liza-san... Where you serious when you said that you would take me back and train me? Would... Would you really do that?" Aston asked, his voice sounding very small and Liza saw the pain on the male's face.

"Of course, but don't think that I'll be easy on you" Liza teased the male and saw a small smile form onto his lips as a dry chuckle escaped him. Liza wanted to smile back at him but she had a nagging thought in the back of her head.

"He controls you, doesn't he?" She said and Aston's eyes widened at her words. "There's no use in hiding it, I can see it. He creeps into your mind and makes you do things for him. I know, since you would never eat a Devil's Fruit even if it made you stronger" He stayed silent.

"Kid, I can help you if you let me. I know that I should leave you to deal with things on your own, but sometimes you need someone to help you" Liza smiled as a redhead crossed her thoughts. Yes, he needed someone just as she needed Shanks.

"We're all there for you. Richie and I are there for you. All you have to do is reach out to us. We're your friends and we would never want you to get hurt. That's why I always kicked the asses of those who mess with you. You mean a lot to us" She said and Aston bit his bottom lip.

"I know... I know! All I wanted to do was get stronger so I can walk beside you and never have to hide my face in shame" He said, averting his eyes to the ground beneath him. Liza gave him an assuring smile and nodded.

"Don't you see? You've already reached that point where you don't have to hide your face in shame. Now, let's go home" She said and held out her cuffed hand. Aston looked back up at her, his eyes quivering slightly.

He hesitantly reached out towards her and swallowed thickly. He knew that she could help him like she always did. He wanted to be with her and Richard and he didn't want to go anywhere else. He wanted to work at the bar for as long as he was able to.

"Well, well, well, looks like we have a little rebel here. I was waiting for you to show your teeth at captain. Even after he did all that effort to make you stronger, you stayed a weak willed idiot" Odell's voice reached their ears and Liza's eyes narrowed at him.

He walked out of the shadows, his nose covered in a while bandage and his skin bluish around the area. He had a sick smirk covering his features and his snake tattoo showed proudly at the side of his neck.

"Odell..."

"Hey, broken nose, get out of here. We're having a very important conversation here. You're just as irritating as your captain." Liza snapped at the male and he growled dangerously at her. He was about to slap her through her face but Aston grabbed his hand before he could do anything.

"Don't you dare touch her, you scum." Aston growled angrily at him and threw him back. He stumbled a bit for his balance and then glared at the male. He pulled out his pistol from the back of his pants and Liza's eyes widened.

"I knew that I should've shot you dead the moment you came begging at the captain's feet for strength. He gave you everything and this is how you repay him?" Odell snarled at Aston and loaded his pistol.

"What's going on here? Are you two having a fight again? You're hopeless" Hades's voice echoed through the room and Aston's eyes widened in panic. He could take on Odell but not Hades. Why did he have to show up now?

"Odell, put down your pistol. Aston-chan, stand to the side. I'll deal with you later." Hades ordered and roughly pushed Aston to the side. He looked back at Liza, his grin widening and she gave him a displeasing look.

"It looks like you came back to your senses. I usually don't give this much time for my toys to recuperate but you're special. This is the first time that I get to play with an assassin" He said, licking his lips and Liza smirked.

"I feel honored. However, I'm going to have to disappoint you. You're trick won't work on me anymore. I made peace with what happened in my past and no matter how hard you try, I won't break." She stated in a confident tone but he merely huffed.

"Traumatic Memory!"

Everything flashed through her mind again, as it did before but she didn't waver. Her blue eyes stayed strong and her smirk became a small smile. No tear escaped her eyes and Hades gritted his teeth.

"Repeat!" He used his ability again, wanting to have Liza see the memory again but nothing happened. She didn't crumble to the floor like she did before. She didn't even show any sign of remorse.

"H-How is this possible?! Just a while ago you were pathetically crying on the floor and now you're not even fazed in the least?!" Hades asked, anger flooding through his veins and it started to boil as soon as Liza chuckled.

"I'm not alone"

Those words make Aston's eyes widen along with the others. She wasn't alone? What was she talking about? She was the only one there! He wasn't even there when she broke... He merely watched...

"You're not alone? What kind of crap is that?! You're telling me that you're immune to the most traumatic event in your life because you're not alone?! Stop messing with me! Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!" He yelled but Liza's expression stayed the same.

"I told you, you're technique won't work against me again. It's like I told you before, no one has ever broken me, how can a lowlife like you? Don't underestimate the will of an assassin!" Her eyes narrowed at him and he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Then, I'll just kill you!" Hades grabbed Odell's pistol and pointed it at her. She, however, gave him a bored look. Death? She wasn't afraid of it at all. It was one thing that you couldn't use against an assassin.

"Captain, I have a better suggestion. Why don't we let Aston pull the trigger? That way he can prove his loyalty towards us" Odell suggested and Aston's eyes widened along with Liza. What? He couldn't be serious.

Odell chuckled darkly and dropped the pistol by his side. Liza watched as he turned around and handed the pistol to Aston who refused to take it. He didn't want to do this. No, he wasn't going to shoot her.

"I refuse" Aston said and watched as Odell glared at him. Hades's face fell and his grip over the pistol tightened slightly. "I won't kill, Liza-san, even if it is to show my loyalty to you. That's not why I joined this crew"

"Not why you joined this crew? You joined this crew to work under _me_ and be _my_ subordinate. Now, you will take this gun and place a bullet in her head" Hades ordered, his voice low and dangerous but Aston stood his ground.

"I see, you're going to keep defying me even after everything I did for you. Then I have no choice but to accept you'll stay weak. But luckily for me, you have a weak will that I can bend to my will" Hades said as his hand glowed and Aston's eyes widened.

"Aston!" Liza yelled in panic when Aston let out a blood-curdling yell as his mind was invaded. He grabbed his head and fell onto his knees. His body shook slightly as he tried to get Hades out of his head but it was no use.

"Aston! Don't let him get in your mind! Fight back!" She tried before she glared at Hades. "Get out of his head, you sick bastard! If you want to shoot me, do it yourself! Or are you a coward?" He laughed and looked back at her.

"I know what you're trying, Red Menace, but it won't work. I gave him an order and he must follow me because he's part of _my_ crew. Now, let's try this again. Kill her" Hades ordered and Aston's struggling stopped.

He stayed on his knees for a few brief moments and Liza stared at him, her eyes filled with panic. Then, he slowly stood up and Liza's eyes widened. His expression was cold again, he didn't even look like he was conscious anymore.

Aston took the pistol in his hand and took a step towards Liza as he raised the gun almost hesitantly. Liza gritted her teeth and glared at the other two smirking men behind her. They were enjoying the show.

"Aston! Snap out of it! Whatever he showed you, whatever he said to you, it's a lie! You're a kind and warmhearted person. You're clumsy at times and always pick fights but you're still a nice person! You can't kill a person!" Liza said and gritted her teeth.

If he killed her... If he killed her then he would be haunted with the images for the rest of his life. He was too young to kill someone. She didn't care if it was her who would die, she cared about how much it would scar him inside.

He took another step towards her until his figure was but a step away from her. Liza knew by the look he gave her that he wasn't there. She saw his index finger twitch around the trigger and took a breath. Aston murmured softly and everyone's eyes widened. Liza nodded at him and saw his col eyes briefly shift to normal.

"Aston! I'm sorry" Liza said with a sad smile as she looked back at him. "If you have to shoot me, then it's fine. It's my own fault. That's why, I forgive you. No matter what happens, remember that I forgave you" His finger slowly started to pull at the trigger.

"Take care of Richie for me. Tell him I want him to perform each week and tell him to sing that new song of his. He struggles a lot with it but I'm sure that he'll be fine. Make sure to get your orders right and not trip over your own feet. Customers don't give tips to clumsy bartenders" She said.

She watched as his brows twitched slightly and his hand shook. He struggled to pull the trigger but Liza didn't care about that anymore. Her face softened and her small smile remained. She relaxed and then took her last breath.

"I'll glad that I met you, Aston"

Aston gritted his teeth and tried to pull the trigger but couldn't. His body refused to move despite his efforts. Tears started to form in the corner of his eyes and he gritted his teeth through his blurry vision.

He didn't want to do this. She gave him everything that he ever needed and what was he going to do to repay her? He was going to shoot her. She was the only person with a kind heart to take him in and give him a job that he loved.

 _Flashback_

 _Younger Aston scoffed as he sat on a pile of scrap while wiping the blood from his nose. He had a nasty purplish bruise on his left cheek and he had a few scrapes and bruises on the rest of his body. His clothes were tethered and torn from the fight he got himself into._

 _"Would you look at that? You're still alive! You know, a servant boy shouldn't pick fights with his master. You'll get yourself killed that way" He looked around to see Liza walking towards him, a smirk plastered on her features._

 _"Leave me alone. I don't want your sympathy"_

 _"Sympathy? Oh, I'm far from being sympathetic, kid" She said and his brows furrowed, a deep frown forming onto his lips. "I merely came here to make you a small proposal. It's your choice if you want to go with it or not"_

 _"A proposal? What? Do you want me to be your new servant boy? That's not happening. I'm not anyone's servant" Aston said as he turned towards her and Liza laughed making him raise an eyebrow in confusion._

 _"I like you! Come and work at my bar!" She said and his eyes widened. "You'll be my new bartender and I'll pay you. If you need a place to stay, you can always stay in the guest room too. What do you say, kid? Up for the challenge?"_

 _"I-I don't understand... Why... Why would you want to help me? Surely you have a reason behind your proposal." Aston said, his face covered with perplexity. Liza gave him a small kind smile and her eyes softened._

 _"You remind me of myself"_

 _His eyes widened at her words and he felt tears form in the corner of his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, much to Liza's amusement. "Alright, I'll come work for you, but can I get cleaned up at least?" He asked before something was thrown onto his lap._

 _"Get dressed. I'll meet you there"_

 _He looked down at the new clothing, his eyes wide in shock. He looked back at her and saw her give him a reassuring smile before she walked away. She took him in without any other motives. She was the first kind person he encountered._

 _End of Flashback_

"L-Liza...-san..." Aston murmured softly and everyone's eyes widened. Liza nodded at him and saw his cold eyes briefly shift to normal. It seemed like he was coming back to his senses to the shock of the two men behind him.

"Shoot her!" Hades ordered and Aston gritted his teeth in pain. "Shoot her now! Can't you hear me?!" Odell stared at Aston with wide eyes. For the first time, someone managed to break free of his captain's mind control.

"I... I...refuse!" Aston gritted out, his tears slowly cascading down the side of his cheeks and Liza's eyes widened. She watched as he slowly came back to his senses, his eyes blurred with the forming tears.

"I can't shoot Liza-san! She gave me a home, a place to go to when I'm alone and she showed kindness to me... I... I'd rather die than shoot her!" Aston yelled out and Hades cursed loudly. The gun fell from Aston's hand and he fell onto his knees in front of Liza.

He cried as he kneeled in front of her and Liza's face softened. She pulled him closer towards her and held him tightly as she was able to with the iron cuffs. She rubbed his back slightly and let out a sigh.

"Welcome back, Aston." She softly told him and he nodded into her shoulder, his tears making her shoulder wet. "You don't have to fight them anymore. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Leave everything to me" He nodded again followed by a sound of a muffled grunt.

Hades gritted his teeth in anger and grabbed the pistol that fell on the floor. He glared at it and growled angrily. Odell's wide eyes shifted towards his Captain and he watched as the male lifted the pistol.

"If you want something done, then you have to do it yourself!" Hades snarled making Liza and Aston's eyes widened as the pistol. "You would rather die than kill her? How about I kill you first, useless brat?!"

Everything slowed down after his statement. Liza grabbed Aston and spun them around, his eyes closed and her binds restricting her slightly. Hades pulled the trigger and Aston expected to feel the pain but none came.

One shot.

Two shots.

Odell watched with wide eyes filled with disbelief and shock as he watched Liza protect Aston. The bullets hit her but her body didn't move an inch. Her grip merely tightened on Aston who had his eyes clenched shut.

Three shots.

Four shots.

Hades pulled the trigger again, but there wasn't any bullet left inside. He breathed heavy, his anger still boiling within his veins. He let the pistol fall by his side, smoke still coming out from the front of the weapon.

Aston opened his eyes in confusion and realized that Liza held tightly onto him. He felt a wet substance on his hands and realized it was blood. Liza's blood. His eyes widened and horror washed over him.

"LIZA-SAN!"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	27. Chapter 27

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 27**_

"LIZA-SAN!"

Liza's injured body hung over him slightly for support and he held her with shaky hands. His eyes were wide and his mouth was agape. His skin turned pale and sweat dripped down the side of his face.

She protected him from the bullets that the male launched. How didn't he notice her moving him? Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and they quickly escaped down his cheeks just as her blood dripped down on the floor.

"Are you..." Liza spat up blood and her body let out a small spasm in pain. "Are you...alright, Aston?" She managed to rasp out through the pain in her back. She held onto him for support but her strength was failing her quickly.

"Don't ask such a stupid question, Liza-san! You... You're the one that got shot!" Aston yelled back at her, his tears never ceasing and his bloodied hands held her. What was he going to do? He didn't know what to do! There was so much blood!

The ship suddenly shook with great force and there was an explosion on the outside. The men yelled out in panic and Hades's eyes shot up along with Odell's. What was going on? Who could attack them now?

"We're under attack! It's... It's the Red Hair Pirates!"

"W-what?! H-How is that possible?! No, why would they attack us?! Odell, come with me. I'll finish this as soon as I return. There's nothing that can save her now, anyway" Hades said and rushed to the deck. Odell spare the other two a saddened look before he too ran to the deck.

It was something he hadn't seen before. He never saw that any of his comrades give up their live to save another. They were all too selfish, too controlled by Hades. They would probably give up their lives unwillingly when he told them to.

Despite resenting the brat, he felt a tinge of sympathy towards him and even envy. He had someone that cared about him so much and Odell couldn't understand why he would sacrifice all that to become stronger. However, it was all too late now.

For both of them.

"T-They... finally made it. T-That clown a-actually found us. Thank goodness" Liza let out a sigh and relief washed over her aching body. Now Aston could go back home and this would all be over. She knew, because they weren't strong enough for Shanks, not even the entire crew.

"Shanks-san is here? T-Then we have to go to him immediately! We have to let someone treat your wounds! Let me just...take these off" Aston shook uncontrollably as he tried to get the cuffs off Liza's wrists.

His vision blurred from the tears and he could barely see what he was doing. The iron bent open before a gasp escaped him. The skin beneath the cuffs was open and had torn from the force that was tightened around her wrists.

"Liza-san... I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! If I... If I hadn't..." He couldn't even get the words out as he sobbed. This was his fault. She was hurt because of him. He hurt her and he didn't even notice.

"N-No, it's not your fault, Aston. Y-You were controlled and manipulated, but you're free now. He won't touch you again" Liza said, shaky breaths coming out of her mouth and it hurt to breathe. It hurt to even hold onto Aston.

"Yes, because you'll protect me, right? You're going with me back to the bar, right? You promised that you'll train me! You haven't forgotten, have you? Liza-san... Please..." He pleaded and Liza wheezed slightly.

"I-I know. I promised you. I won't go back on my promise"

"Then... Then you have to come back with me! We'll go get you some first aid on Shanks-san's ship and you'll be as good as new! You're strong! This little injury won't get you under!" He said and wished that he could fool himself. He wished that he could believe his own words.

"Aston" He looked back at her, his eyes wide. "D-Don't be too hard on yourself, o-okay? T-There are things in this world that we wish to change, but they happen for a reason. R-Remember that" She said, her eyes softening and a smile came onto her bloodied lips.

"I won't die. I know that because you'll remember me. One can only die if you forget about them, but I know you won't. You... Richie... Red Hair... Benn... Yasopp... Everyone... You'll remember me, right?" She said and Aston gritted his teeth.

"Yes! We'll never forget you! That's why... That's why you need to stay with me! We want to remember you while you're still with us! I want to hear you perform at the bar again! I want you to scold me again! I want you to stay alive!" Aston cried and a chuckle escaped Liza's lips.

She let out a fit of coughs and her body shook from the force. Panic rushed through Aston's system and he felt his blood run cold. Liza coughed up a bit more blood and groaned. It hurt all over, but she couldn't succumb to the pain just yet.

She had to say what she wanted to. She wanted to stay there a little longer. She wanted to stay conscious a little longer. She briefly closed her eyes at the pain and let out another painful shaky breath.

"I want to sing for you all again too. Maybe... next time... I can even sing that new song...of Richie. Maybe I'll even...beat that Straw Hat...in a drinking contest... Who knows what would happen?" She could feel the pain slowly become numb, her body starting to get colder.

"Yes! You'll beat him! I know you will!" Aston said, his tears flowing with more force. "Someone! Help me! Please! Liza-san's hurt! Someone! Anyone! Please help me!" Liza took a shaky breath and her blue eyes dimmed slightly.

"Thank you, Aston, but I don't think someone can help me anymore." Liza let out a dry chuckle. "I can't feel the pain anymore either... Is this how Captain felt? This calmness washing over him knowing everything was going to be alright" She whispered, her voice getting softer.

Was this how Hendrickson felt? It was quite a pleasing feeling. She knew that she did everything to save Aston and left everything up to Shanks and Richard. She trusted them. She knew that they would take care of Aston.

She felt sorrow rush up into her chest and her blue eyes quivered slightly. In the end, her dream never came true. All those years of imagining how it would come true were now for nothing. She never got the chance to have that one thing. The one thing she wanted to love.

"No! It's not going to be alright! You have to stay with me, Liza-san! Y-You... You can't die! You hear me! You can't die! What would a good-for-nothing person like me do without you? I'm going to be lonely without you!" Aston cried, his tears staining the blood on her clothes.

"Y-You're not alone. None of us are. R-Remember that there will always be someone who reaches out to you" Liza felt tears form in the corner of her dimmed blue eyes as a straw hat flashed through her head.

She owed him a lot. He did so much for her. He was there when she needed him and he always made sure that she smiled. He saved her twice, physically and mentally. She only realized now, how much he meant to her.

She thought that it was ridiculous for her to even see what was in front of her. The laughs, the smiles, the teasing, the singing. She couldn't imagine the last two weeks without the male. It made her heart warm up despite her body being cold.

"Hey, Aston... Can you...? Can you do me a favor...? Can you tell him...? Can you tell Shanks that I said 'thank you'? If it wasn't for him...I'd be in such a mess right now... Give Richie my gratitude as well. Don't forget about...me..." Liza said, her body finally becoming numb and her eyes closing.

Aston's eyes widened when he felt her figure go limp and her grip on his vanished. He tried to catch her, but his own arms were numb. She fell onto the floor, her back hitting it with a thump and her face peaceful with a smile on her lips.

"LIZA-SAN!"

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile on the deck..._**

"Fire! Fire! Don't let them overwhelm you!" Hades ordered his men as they let loose on canon fire towards the Red Hair pirates' ship. However, even with his orders, they were completely overwhelmed by the fire power of their enemy.

"Captain! They took out another cannon! We have to repair the side of the ship as well! We're taking too much damage!" Odell yelled at his Captain and flinched when they received another harsh hit from the other ship.

"Damn it! Damn it all! We can't escape like this... Alright, since they won't let us escape, we'll have to fight back..." Hades said and looked back at his men. "It's time to fight! Let's show them not to mess with the Poisonous Snake Pirates!" All his men exclaimed but Odell stayed quiet.

Odell glanced at the stairs that led beneath the deck where Aston and Liza was, his brows furrowing. He was sure that the pirates where there to save them, but it was probably too late now. There was no way Liza could make it after taking so many shots.

"Boss, they're advancing on us!" A voice resounded on Shanks's ship as Lucky Roo shot another pirate, the male falling into the water as a result. He chewed his piece of meat, his eyes narrowing at the enemy.

"Yeah, stand your ground. We're going to find Liza!" Shanks said and his men nodded, attacking the enemy. Benn came in next to Shanks and hit a few of the men with his large gun. Richard dodged where he could and stood behind Shanks.

"Shanks..."

"I'll take care of it" Shanks said, his eyes dangerous and his haki almost spiraling around him. They walked over towards the Poisonous Snake Pirates' ship, all the men raising their guns and pointing them at Shanks.

Shanks's eyes shot wider and a large wave of haki shot over the men. One after the other, the men started to drop and fell into an unconscious state. Some of the other men panicked and tried to find out what he did to them.

"C-Conqueror's haki..."

Shanks's eyes fell onto Hades's shaking figure and then narrowed. His hand was on the hilt of his sword and his eyes made a shiver run down the male's spine. Hades knew him very well. Then again, who didn't?

 _ **'Red Hair' Shanks**_  
 _ **Wanted**_  
 _ **Dead or Alive**_  
 _ **Bounty: 350 000 000 Beli**_

"It seems like your forces have been cut. You only have half of your men left. Now, I'm going to ask you this once. Where is Liza?" Shanks asked, his voice low and his eyes narrowing at the male. Hades nervously smirked and a small trail of sweat trailed down the side of his face.

"I don't know who you're talking about. There's no one by that name on my ship" Hades said before his eyes widened, face paling and breath hitching when Shanks's sword touched the skin of his chin, his eyes glaring into the male's fearful orbs.

"What do you call this then?" Shanks held up a piece of paper with the tattoo of the Poisonous Snake on it and Hades's brows twitched. He felt the sword move against his throat and swallowed thickly.

"They're below deck. Follow the stairs and you'll get there" Odell said and their eyes shot towards him. Odell pointed at the staircase that led below deck and ignored the look that his Captain gave him.

Shanks grunted and pulled back his sword before he sheathed it. "Benn, make sure this scum doesn't move an inch." Shanks ordered and Benn nodded. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Hades's forehead the male frozen in fear.

The forces of the red haired pirates already overwhelmed his men and they were all defeated. There was nowhere to run and he was sure as soon as Shanks saw Liza, everything would be over. Or would it? They didn't know who they were messing with...

Shanks gave Hades one last look before the redhead walked towards the stairs. As he walked, his haki expelled and splintered some of the wood of the ship. If there was one thing that he was known for, was his incredibly haki.

Shanks went down the stairs, his brows furrowing where he stepped and he tried to see through the dim light. They had to be here somewhere. Not too far away from the stairs seemed to be an open room and as soon as he got to the bottom of the stairs, advanced towards it.

He heard soft sounds of whimpering and sniffs coming from the room and his brows furrowed. The first thing he noted in the room was the strong stench of blood. It was almost overwhelming. The second thing he saw was a crying Aston.

Aston looked up at Shanks, his eyes filled with tears and his face wet from crying. Panic filled Shanks's system and he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Liza laying on the male's lap, her eyes closed and a smile on her lips.

"Liza!" Shanks ran towards the sobbing male and quickly checked Liza. As soon as he lifted her up, his hands touched a wet substance. It was her blood. There was a pile of blood beneath her soaked clothing and her body felt cold.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Liza-san... She... She saved me, but she... She was shot and I-I couldn't do anything" He continued to cry, his body shaking form the sobs. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I couldn't save her."

"Liza-san's...gone!"

Shanks felt his heart drop in his stomach and his body turned cold, just as cold as Liza's body in his arms. She was gone? Was he too late to save her? He felt a soaring pain enter his chest and he gritted his teeth as sorrow washed over him.

"DAMN IT!"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	28. Chapter 28

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 28**_

Her body felt light weighted as she floated in a dark abyss. Her blue eyes stared at the darkness around her and she felt peace all around her. She enjoyed the feeling of content and let out a deep sigh.

Was this how death felt? Was it an eternity of floating around in darkness filled with the feeling of peace? That was boring. She expected it to be something more extravagant. Bright flower fields filled with the laughter of the deceased as they all enjoyed their drinks.

However, this was exactly the opposite of what she expected. As always, she was reminded that if you expect something, you'll always be disappointed. She always seemed to learn that the hard way since she never listened.

"Well, well well, you came here quicker than I expected. When are you going to learn not to get yourself in deadly situations?" Liza's eyes widened at the male voice and she snapped around in the darkness, a gasp escaping her lips.

"C-Captain H-Hendrickson?"

"Hey, did you see her face? That's quite a face you can make, Little Blue. Don't look so shocked. You should've expected to see us" She glanced behind her and saw a bunch of familiar faces pop up one after the other.

"Everyone...you're here"

"Of course we are! The question is, what do you think you're doing here? You haven't even gotten to your dream and then you go and get yourself shot. Do you have any idea how many people are worried about you?!" Hendrickson scolded at Liza and she blinked a few times.

He watched as a sad smile came onto her lips and her face softened. "Yeah, I know, but I'm not regretting anything. I'm glad that I could save Aston's life. I wouldn't mind dying for someone-OW!" Liza growled angrily at Hendrickson after he pinched her.

"When are you going to grow up, Little Blue? Didn't we teach you anything?" Dart, Hendrickson's first mate said and Liza looked back at him. She didn't understand what he was saying. For that, matter she didn't know why she was pinched either.

"You don't die for someone! You live for them" Hendrickson said and Liza's eyes widened at his statement. She knew that statement all too well. He always said it, always. He told it to his men almost every time they got into a fight.

It was the Black Skull's code.

"I-I know, but I guess I broke your code. I wasn't going to let him die, he was too young and a dear friend. If death was the result, then so be it" Liza said, her face serious and her blue eyes gleaming brightly.

Everyone around her chuckled and she raised an eyebrow. "You were always the stubborn one, Liza. Who said anything about you being dead?" Hendrickson asked and Liza's eyes widened. What? She wasn't dead?

"If... If I'm not dead... Then... Then what are all of you doing here?" Liza asked in a hesitant tone and her voice shook slightly. She didn't understand anything that was going on. Why otherwise would she see them.

"We came here to give our last goodbyes" Hendrickson said and Liza's eyes snapped towards him. "It's time for us to go and for you to move on, despite you already taking the first step. Thank you for not forgetting us"

"Yeah, even though it was irritating at first, we do appreciate the sentiment, Little Blue. But, you have to let us go now. You have new friends who are all waiting for you" Dart said and Liza glanced back at him.

They watched as Liza smiled and nodded, their eyes widening slightly. They didn't expect her to be so calm about it. Then again, she was a very unpredictable person. That's what they always loved about her.

"I understand. Thank you for everything you ever did for me. I will never forget any of you, but I will let go of the past now. Otherwise, I can't move forward, now can I?" Liza said, her smile widening and they all laughed at her.

"Well, see you later then, Liza!"

"Yeah, see you all later. Make sure to keep a spot for me on the otherwise! I'll see you after I made my dream come true!" She said and they all nodded. She watched as they waved at her and one by one, they started to fade away.

She bit her bottom lip when she felt her heart became empty again and took a shaky breath. No, she wasn't alone. She had people waiting for her. She would never have to be alone again. She was going to be alright.

She was going to be Liza.

* * *

There was always that saying where you never knew what you had when it was gone. A lot of people were skeptical about that statement but they were all proved wrong in the end. It was true, painfully true.

Shanks knew that feeling almost too well and it was more painful than physical pain. He felt it when his captain passed away and when the crew shattered. He thought that he would never have to feel it again, but now...

He stared down at Liza's body, tears unconsciously forming in the corner of his eyes. He lost her. He lost his little piece of light. He would never get to hear her laughter, never get to see her smile or even hear her melodious voice again.

She was gone.

He didn't know how long he sat there staring at her peaceful face, the sound of Aston's sobbing sounding muffled in his ears. It was as if everything around him stopped, including his shattered beating heart.

Benn was right, he always was. He should've taken action. He should've trusted his own feelings but in the end he denied them. It was too late now. He could never tell her what was going on within his heart.

"I'm sorry..." He didn't know what other words to force out of his mouth, but those seemed to be the only ones who left his mouth. His grip on her figure tightened and he gritted his teeth, tears finally falling from his eyes.

"D-Don't apologize" His eyes snapped wide open and Aston's eyes widened. "Geez, I'm only gone for a few minutes and you two are already turning into crybabies. Look at that. I never thought I would see Red Hair crying" Liza said, her blue eyes shining and a smirk on her bloodied lips.

"Liza!"  
"Liza-san!"

Shanks pulled Liza into a warm embrace, her eyes widening in the process. She winced slightly in pain and looked back at the male. Her face softened and she let her head rest on his shoulder, his warmth comforting her.

"I'm back"

"Don't ever give me a heart attack like that again! You hear me? You're not going anywhere without me! I'm following you wherever you're going!" Shanks said as he broke the embrace, his arms still holding her.

Liza chuckled, despite the pain rushing through her system and gave him a confident look. "Then, you'll have to join me while I shower...while I sleep...while I change..." Shanks flushed at her words and she resisted to laugh.

"T-That's n-not w-what I meant!" He saw that he wasn't going to win and let out a sigh. "You're definitely feeling better since you can joke around like that" He stated and she vaguely nodded, her body still tired.

"We should go. Liza-san has to be stitched up and she needs to get some rest. But we'll have to deal with the others first" Aston said as he wiped the tears away, relief washing over his system. He was happy that she was alive and the guilt within his heart faded away.

"My men already took them out, but before we go I have something to sort out with Hades. He hurt someone who was dear to me. He's going to pay first" Shanks said and Liza felt her cheeks warm up slightly, a smile coming onto her lips.

"Boss! Is everything alright down there?!" Lucky Roo called from above and Shanks grunted. They walked out, Liza in his arms as he carried her and came onto the deck. Richard, Benn, Yasopp and Lucky Roo's eyes widened at her terrible wounds and they all felt anger rise in their blood.

"She needs medical treatment as soon as possible. We need to stop the bleeding as soon as possible and then she needs to get some rest" Shanks said and his men nodded. Some of the men rushed inside the ship to get the supplies.

"She's alive?! How's that possible?! No one can survive being shot that many times! Not even if she's an assassin!" Hades exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock but he didn't move his body in the slightest since he still had a gun to his head.

"Oh, you were the one to hurt her..." Shanks trailed off, a deadly aura surrounded him and his eyes glaring daggers at the male. "I won't forgive anyone that hurts what's precious to me!" Hades swallowed thickly.

He was surrounded by the red haired pirates who all gave him the same deadly look. They all a kill intent and he was outnumbered. Even his men couldn't win and everything was up to him. A sick smirk came onto his lips and his palm shot open making Aston and Odell's eyes widen.

"Mind Scrap!"

A shockwave echoed through the men and after a few seconds, the men started to collapse one after the other. The held their heads and screamed in pain. Shanks and Benn snapped around when they heard Yasopp and Lucky Roo yell out.

Soon, a painful piercing pain shot through their heads and they cried out. Shanks fell onto his knees, stopping himself to let Liza fall from his grasp. Aston fell next to him and Richard was also writhing in pain behind him.

"W-What's going on?" Shanks gritted his teeth as the pain in his head increased. It was as if someone was sawing his or her way in his mind, tearing and destroying where it went. It was extremely painful.

"R-Red hair..." Liza rasped out when she saw him suffering along with the rest. Hades even had his own men crying out in pain. He knew no boundaries at all. He just enjoyed the view of everyone in pain, except Liza.

"R-Red Hair... Look at me. Concentrate on me" Liza said and Shanks looked down at her, his one eye closed and his vision swimming. "It's an illusion. It's not real. He's just messing with your head to think that you're in pain. You have to snap out of it"

"L-Liza... H-How do I-?" Shanks was cut off when a pair of soft lips pressed against his own. His eyes widened and he immediately felt the pain in his head vanish. He felt Liza's hand against his cheek and his grip on her tightened.

The kiss was gentle, yet it had enough force to make him snap out of his haze. The pain was gone and replaced with the softness of her lips. He could taste the metallic of her blood, but the taste was very dim and didn't bother him at all.

Liza broke the kiss and gasped for air, a small smile forming on her lips. "See? You're not in pain anymore" She said as Shanks continued to stare at her. She felt her cheeks redden at his stare and swallowed thickly.

"What are you-?" Liza yelped when Shanks jumped back, her body pressed against his and he held her firmly against him. She glanced back at saw Hades had his sword piercing the wooden floor where they once stood.

"You just don't want to die, do you? No matter what I try, you refuse to break! Why? Why won't you break?!" Hades swung his sword towards Shanks again and he managed to dodge as he made sure Liza was held tightly in his arms but he couldn't fight back.

"DIE ALREADY!"

"I won't let you hurt Liza-san again!" As Hades swung his sword down, the the metal suddenly bent and pierced him through his chest. Liza and Shanks's eyes widened as they watched the male fell onto his knees, Aston standing behind him.

He had sweat trailing down the side of his face and his right hand was outstretched. Hades shakily looked back at the male and spat up blood. He gave Aston a deadly glare but soon after fell onto the deck, lifeless.

Everyone snapped out of the pain and it took them a few moments before they realized what happened. Aston fell down on his behind and breathed heavy. His body was exhausted and his mind felt scrambled.

"It's over... Finally..."

Hades's men all snapped out of their haze and looked around. Some of them were confused and didn't know what was going on and others started to ask where they were. It seemed like they were all under his mind control.

"His mind control stopped. We're free" Odell said and a grin filled with relief broke loose on his lips. He sat down with a sigh and could feel the last of Hades's presence fade away from his conscious. He was in control again.

"At...last..." Liza murmured softly before her body relaxed in Shanks's hold. Her head fell onto his chest and her breathing became even. She was out cold and a few of the men cried out in panic but Shanks shook his head with a reassuring smile.

"Hey! Get the medic now! Clean her up and make sure that she's patched up!" Benn ordered and the men all nodded. Shanks glanced at Benn who gave him a nod before Shanks went onto his ship to get Liza patched up.

An outstretched palm appeared in front of Aston and he glanced up to see Richard smirking at him. Aston smiled and took the hand before he was helped up. It took him a few moments to catch his balance before he stood steady.

"When we get back I'll get rid of that terrible work of art you have on your neck. Until then, go wrap it up" Richard ordered and Aston let out a laugh. He nodded in reply but as he took a step be saw Odell in the corner of his eye.

He briefly stopped and looked back at Odell who gave him a smirk. "What are you looking at, brat? Go to your friends, they missed you" Odell said as he ran a hand through his mohawk his broken nose stills tingling a bit.

"What are you going to do now, Odell?"

"That's a stupid question. I have to get all these men back to their rightful homes and get rid of that corpse. After that, I don't really know." He said and Aston grunted. He went to walk onto Shanks's ship and Odell's brows furrowed.

"Hey, brat!" Aston glanced back at the male. "Keep an eye on Red Menace. She's someone you should appreciate. Don't go spouting stuff like getting stronger again" He said and Aston smirked before he nodded.

"I won't. That's a promise"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 29**_

The ship of the Red Hair pirates gently sailed on the calm waters towards the island. Everyone made sure that everything was in place on the ship and others prepared food to serve the hungry men. It was still going to be a while before they arrived at the island.

Benn stepped out of the small cabin like structure, his one hand pulled out a cigarette as he closed the door. He lit it and inhaled deeply before breathing out a puff of smoke. His nerves seem to calm down instantly.

"Benn-san, how's Liza-san?" Aston asked as he walked towards the male and he looked at the younger male. He had a small plaster on his forehead and a large one on the side of his neck where Richard told him to cover up the tattoo.

"She's resting now. All of her wounds were cleaned up and she's bandaged up" Benn replied, his brows twitching slightly as he thought back at Liza's deep, dangerous wounds and how much blood she lost.

"Hey, Benn, is she going to be alright? Her wounds looked pretty serious to me. What are you not telling us?" Richard asked as he came in next to Aston, his brows furrowed. Benn let out a deep sigh and walked towards the railing of the ship.

"Our ship's doctor said she was going to be fine if she continued to rest. Since her wounds were severe and she lost a lot of blood, he had to do a transfusion as well..." Benn trailed off and looked out at the blue waters, the color reminding him of her nostalgic blue eyes.

"It's a miracle that she's even alive. None of the bullets damaged any of her organs or her spine. She has the luck of the devil. According to our doctor, she should've died the moment after she was shot" Benn stated and their eyes widened.

Aston bit his bottom lip and grabbed his upper arm as he remembered Liza's cold body on his lap. She did die...if only for a few moments...but...she came back. She came back to them. She was alive now and that's all that mattered.

"You can go and see her when she wakes up, but Shanks is with her right now. It's best if you let them be for a while" Benn told them and they nodded. He let out another breath filled with smoke and stared out towards the horizon.

 _They have a lot to talk about since they have a lot on their minds._ He thought to himself and recalled the face of his captain when their doctor told him she should've died. It was filled with panic, shock and despair.

He hadn't seen him make that face before and it made him worry slightly. What would've happened if Liza died? What would've happened to Shanks? Would he be able to deal with the loss? Benn shook his head.

He couldn't think of that now. All that mattered was that she was alive. She was breathing and her heart was beating, that's all that was important. He only hoped that everything would calm down and that those two stubborn people would already realize.

Realize what was in front of them.

* * *

Liza felt her consciousness slowly return to her and soon enough her blue eyes fluttered open. It took her a few moments to blink away the blurriness in her vision before she stared up at a wooden ceiling.

Her body felt numb, heavy even as she lay comfortably in what she saw was a bed. It was a small single sized bed but it was enough for her to rest on. She winced slightly when she felt pain rocket her body and she decided not to sit up straight.

It hurt too much.

She heard a faint sound of snoring next to her and her blue eyes rested on a sleeping redhead. He rested his head on the bed with his hands crossed underneath him and his red hair lay messily on his face.

 _How long has he been here?_ She wondered and glanced at the straw hat that was on the cupboard next to her bed. A small smile came onto her lips and she looked back at the sleeping male. He looked so calm.

She let out a sigh and lay back on the bed again. How long had it been since she passed out? Was everything settled? Was Aston alright? All the questions ran through her head but she couldn't answer any of them as she lay there.

She touched her bandaged abdomen and the noticed the bandages she had around her wrists. She could feel a small stinging pain in her wrists but nothing compared to the piercing pain in her back that was somehow dulled.

Liza felt Shanks shift and her blue eyes glanced down at him. He still seemed to be fast asleep, but he tried to bury his face into the soft covers of the bed. She felt herself reach out towards him and brush his red strands out of his face, only for them to fall back.

The hair was as stubborn as he was.

He slowly opened his eyes when he felt something brush against him and let out a loud yawn. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and he stared at Liza who gave him a blank look. He blinked a few times before trying to go back to sleep.

Liza's brow twitched and she could feel that she was suddenly aggravated. He gave her one look and went back to sleep. He didn't even say anything. Was he serious? She let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling, knowing she would have to keep herself company.

"Huh? Liza?" Shanks snapped out of his sudden sleep, his eyes darting around him. "You're awake!" Liza sweat dropped at his delayed reaction and shook her head. This man was honestly hopeless at times.

"Yeah, it took you a while, Red Hair" She said, her voice laced with a tinge of amusement and her blue eyes gleamed. Shanks snickered and rubbed the back of his head while giving her a large innocent grin.

"I'm glad you're awake. You've been sleeping a long time now. How do feel? How are your injuries? Do you want something to drink? I think the men should make some food now..." Shanks trailed off and Liza chuckled, despite it being a bit sore.

"I'm fine. My back's a little sore though but I can bear with it. Mind helping me up?" She asked and he quickly nodded. He helped her into a sitting position, her body shaking slightly as she struggled but managed to sit up.

"Thanks"

"No problem. Just take it easy, okay? You're recovery is going to take a while so until then you have to rest. You don't want to open your wounds again or our doctor would have to look at them again" He saw her pale at his words and she swallowed thickly.

"I'll rest, there's no need for any doctor to look at me. I'll be fine" She quickly said and Shanks blinked a few times before he tilted his head to the side in confusion. Liza avoided eye contact and bit her bottom lip.

"Hey...don't tell me...you're afraid of doctors?" His tone was a bit unsure since he couldn't believe his own words. Liza wasn't afraid of anything. Why would she be afraid-? He saw her blush at his statement and turned her head away from him making his eyes widen.

"Shut up!" She snapped at the male, her face warming up in embarrassment and she tried not to look at the male. The one thing that she feared the most in this world was something that only she was supposed to know. It was worse enough that she was touched by one without her consent.

"You're afraid of doctors?" Shanks murmured and after a few moments, he burst out laughing. He almost fell off his chair and held his stomach. Tears pooled down the side of his face as he continued to laugh.

"It's not funny! Stop making fun of me, Red Hair! Everyone has something they're afraid of! It's not my fault I'm afraid...of doctors..." She hated to say it aloud and gave the male a deadly glare. Shanks's laughter died down into a chuckle and he wiped away the tears.

"Sorry, sorry! I can't help it! I didn't expect you, the fearless Liza, to be afraid of such a harmless thing." Shanks said, a smile still on his face and Liza huffed. A deep frown came onto her lips and she looked down her hand touching her bandages abdomen.

"Harmless? Doctors aren't harmless. They do whatever they want with your body when they have the authority. Within an instant they can not only kill you but kill your dreams too. They're monsters" Liza said and Shanks's face fell.

This was personal. Her fear for doctors was because of something that must've happened long ago and by the way she held her abdomen, her eyes narrowing, he knew that it was something painful. Yet another mystery that had to be solved.

"But... I guess that I'll comply with the fact that your doctor saved my life" Liza almost instantly snapped out of her haze and smirked back at Shanks. "It wasn't like you gave me a choice anyway. Thanks for saving my life, Red Hair"

Shanks stared at her, shocked at her sudden change in behavior. One moment she looked angry, sorrowful even and the next moment she was thanking him. He could never predict what she was going to do.

"It's my pleasure, Liza. As long as I can help you then I'll do anything even without your authority." He playfully teased and Liza playfully rolled her eyes. He always made jokes when she was serious about something.

Though, it was a trait that she came to like about him. He always seem to break her seriousness and made her feel at ease. She didn't know if it was his personality or his innocent grinning lips. Either way, she accepted it with calm resignation.

"How are the others doing? Is Aston alright? Is Richie alright?" Liza asked as the questions popped inside her head and Shanks nodded. She let out a sigh of relief and her body's tension started to leave.

"They're doing perfectly fine. Richard makes sure that he doesn't leave Aston alone and he became quite persistent with the young male. Benn goes around giving orders on my behalf while I keep an eye on you" Shanks said and Liza scoffed.

"I'm not a child. You _can_ go out and be Captain to your crew, you know? I'm not going anywhere. No, to be more correct I can't go anywhere right now. I won't mind if you go to your crew" Liza said but Shanks shook his head.

"I told you, I'm not leaving your side. It might get irritating and I may start to be a pain but you'll have to bear with it. I'm not letting you go for one second" He stated firmly and Liza felt her cheeks heat up, but the smirk on her face never faltered.

"Then I guess I should get used to it. Remember to wash my back when I enter the shower" Shanks's embarrassment was immediate as he blushed deeply and she laughed. His facial expression was priceless!

Her laughter started to die down as she felt her sore muscles contract in protest. A sad smile came onto her lips as she remembered him not letting go of her once. He even dodged all Hades's attacks but never left her to fend for herself.

"You probably know now, huh?" Liza murmured softly and Shanks's snapped out of his embarrassment before he looked back at her. "You probably know that I was an assassin once, since Hades blurted that out"

He could tell that she was troubled by the thought of him knowing. He could see her hands clenching the covers tightly and her eyes swam with a peculiar emotion. Did she fear him rejecting her? Was she afraid of how he would react? He didn't know, but she had nothing to be bothered by.

"Yes, I know, but what of it?" Her blue eyes widened at his words. "It was your past life, was it not? You're not a coldblooded person who kills other persons for pure pleasure and survival. You decided to walk another path than that and it doesn't bother me" He said and Liza smiled.

"You're a really kind person, Red Hair, but I did change. My Captain was the one who saved me from going on killing others. He took me away from my assassination lifestyle and showed me the real path to walk. That's why I owe him my life" Liza told him and he grinned.

"I wish that I could've met him. If it wasn't for him then I never would've met you" Shanks said and Liza growled in frustration as a blush crept onto her cheeks. What was with him all of the sudden? How could he say something like that and grin so innocently at her?

She didn't quite understand why she always felt flushed when he complimented her but she was aware of the warm feeling that entered her heart. She felt the same warmth before when she was imprisoned.

A smile came onto her lips and she nodded at the male. "I think you two would've been the best of friends. He parties just as much as you do and when it comes to drinking I'm sure he'll give you a run for your money" Liza pointed out and Shanks laughed.

After that, things went quiet and they sat there in a comfortable silence. Liza didn't know what else to say but she didn't think that it was necessary to. She gave him her gratitude and she knew that everyone else was safe. She was at peace.

Shanks, however, burned to say something to break the silence. He knew that it was now or never but he couldn't help the nervous lump that formed in his throat. No, he had to do this! He wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers again.

"Liza...I..." Liza looked down at him and he wanted to groan. Those big blue eyes staring him down didn't make this any easier. How could he do anything when she gave him that look? No, he _had_ to do this.

"What's wrong, Red Hair?"

"Well, you see... I... I... When you were hurt... I thought that you were gone, but you weren't and I'm glad! I really am! I wouldn't know what I would've done if you were gone..." He rambled on and Liza's brow twitched.

"Spit it out already!"

"I have feelings for you!" He blurted out and both of their eyes widened at his words. He felt his face heat up and swallowed thickly while avoiding eye contact. "I-I've had them for a while now and when you... I can't imagine life without you" He looked back at her, his eyes strong and serious.

Liza was staring at the male with a mixture of disbelief, shock and unsure eyes. He was serious... She honestly didn't know what to say. She didn't know how her own feelings would line up to his. Did she have feelings for him as well?

She remembered the kiss they shared and swallowed thickly. She did enjoy the kiss and it was something completely different than she experienced before. It was soft, gentle and by the way he kissed back, it was lovingly as well.

It was completely different from Mihawk's kiss who kissed with passion almost enough to burn you away. But... That was two years ago. He told her he would come back but he didn't. Did she still have feelings for him as well?

She was too confused.

"Red Hair, I..." She was cut off when she felt a pair of lips press onto her own and her blue eyes widened. He was kissing her! His eyes were closed and the kiss was gentle, almost hesitant as if he feared she would pull away.

She felt all her confused thoughts scatter away at the kiss and her body was filled with familiar warmth. She felt her heart beat rapidly in her throat and her eyes slowly closed. Her hands reached out for his untidy hair and pulled him closer.

He gently held her sides, not pushing or wanting to hurt her and smiled slightly into the kiss when she returned it. Was this her way to answer him? He knew that she must've been trapped and confused not knowing where to go but she didn't need to feel cornered.

He was going to take it step by step even if he had to take baby steps. He was going to win her over and show her how much he cared. He wasn't going to ever lose her again. Not ever. He realized that there was something more meaningful rising in his chest as warmth spread through his body.

It was love.

* * *

 _ **The next day...**_

A figure passed through the crowds of people, walking straight as the people seemed to move out of the way. His footsteps were graceful and the sound of metal occasionally hitting metal gave off an almost dangerous feeling.

He stopped in front of a familiar bar, his golden eyes glancing up at the sign on top of the wooden building. 'Dine and Dash'. He was sure that this was the place and he would never forget it. However, it was closed to his own confusion.

"Oh, sorry, the bar's closed today" A feminine voice spoke up as a female next door packed out her daily goods she would sell. "If you're looking for Liza, she's not in today. They've been out for a while now"

"Do you know where she is?" He asked, his voice husky yet firm. His face was impassive and his eyes were piercing as always. He knew that Liza woudln;t be the type of person to leave her bar without any notice.

"No, not really. All I know is that she should be back tomorrow. She won't leave the bar closed for too long. If you want to see her, you can come back later. If I see her, I can give her a message sir...?" She trailed off but he shook his head.

"I'll wait. I'll come by later" He simply stated and the female nodded. She watched as the male walked away, his large black sword shining as the rays of the sun hit the blade. He was odd fellow and she wondered why he looked for Liza.

The male stopped at the edge of the town and glanced up at the bright blue skies, filled with puffy white clouds. He could wait. She had to wait for him for two years and he was willing to wait another day for her.

Mihawk returned, just he promised.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 30**_

 ** _One Day Later..._**

Stacks of barrels, filled with sake, were loaded on the 'Red Hair' Pirates' ship right after they docked back at the island. Benn and Yasopp carried their own crates while Lucky Roo instructed the men where to put everything.

After they were a day out on the sea, they had to restock on the tons of alcohol and food they finished up. When they partied out on the open waters, they just drank and ate much more than when they were staying at islands.

"Hey, maybe you should help carrying some of these crates instead of giving people orders!" Yasopp told the large male who currently chewed on his large piece of meat. He put down the crate and let out a sigh.

"We're already done so don't worry about it too much, Yasopp-san" Aston said as he stepped out along with Richard who walked by his side, holding the last crate. Yasopp looked back at Lucky Roo and merely received a wide grin.

"You sure needed to refill your stock a lot. I think you've got a gap in your treasure pile now" Richard said as he put down the last crate and stretched a bit. He wasn't used to carrying heavy things for hours straight.

"Nah, it's not that bad" Shanks spoke up from behind them as he came out, a wide grin on his lips and his hand resting on his sword as always. "We still have lots left to party back at the bar!" Richard sweat dropped and sighed.

"Of course. That's exactly why you need money. More parties and more alcohol. This is why I will never understand pirates" Richard huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Couldn't they spend the money on something more productive like...weapons? Something other than drinking.

"Are you so sure of that, Richard? You drank a lot with us last night and it didn't look like you had any complaints" Benn pointed out as he lit his cigarette and inhaled it deeply. Richard opened up his mouth to retort but found no words.

"Oh, shut up..."

Aston laughed at them and shook his head before he looked back at Shanks who snickered in amusement. Aston couldn't quite put a finger on it but ever since the day before, Shanks seemed more...happy? Was that even possible for the pirate who almost never frowned?

"Shanks-san, how is Liza-san doing? Does she feel a bit better than yesterday?" Aston asked as Richard tried to argue with Benn in the background, Yasopp and Lucky Roo's laughter reaching his ears.

"Liza? She's just fine. She looks a lot better than yesterday. She even managed to walk on her own today but she should really learn not to push herself." Shanks replied while sighing. Liza was too stubborn for her own good.

"That reminds me, where is she? I haven't seen Liza-chan once today. Is she still resting inside the infirmary?" Richard reverted his attention towards Shanks after seeing that he wasn't going to win his argument with Benn.

"She's out"

"WHAT?! You let Liza-chan go out on her own?! Are you insane?! What's wrong with you?! What if she gets herself into more trouble _while_ being injured?!" Richard asked, his eyes wide along with everyone else's but Shanks was calm and collected.

"She'll be just fine. She just had to go say goodbye" Shanks said and everyone titled their heads to the side in confusion. Benn raised an eyebrow while looking at Shanks who still had a small smile on his lips and huffed, his own smile forming.

"Leave her. She can't be around us men the entire time. She needs some space to breathe too. Besides, if she goes back to the bar she needs to rest a lot. Give her a bit of freedom" Benn stated and Richard glanced back at the male before he let his shoulders fall in defeat.

"I guess you're right. I trust her to not get into trouble while being injured but...say goodbye? Who's she saying goodbye to?" Richard asked the redhead with a raised eyebrow but only received a small smile that made him groan.

"You pirates are hopeless!"

* * *

 ** _On the East side of the island..._**

Liza stood in front of the grave near the coast, a smile forming on her lips as a soft draft brushed over her. She still had her abdomen and back bandages beneath her white buttoned up blouse, her dagger sheathed by her side and a bottle of sake in her hand.

"Hi... Hendrickson... Everyone... I've come to say my last goodbyes" Liza softly spoke, a small sad smile on her lips. Her blue eyes softened as she stared at the grave and she could feel her heart give a squeeze.

"For the first time, I guess I can finally move forward again. I can look back at the past without feeling any guilt now. I don't know how I'll do in the future, but keep an eye on me, okay?" Liza said her free hand moving up towards her chest.

"I'll never forget the times we had together and I definitely won't let my talents go to waste. I won't fear my darkness anymore because I know it's part of me. Hopefully one day, I'll sail out to the sea again and make my dream come true" She clenched her hand into a fist.

"Until my passing time has come, wait for me, okay? Don't hog all the good spots up there!" She laughed softly. She could feel her emotions bubble up but she held them all under control, knowing that she cried enough.

"As a farewell gift, I brought you your favorite wine, Captain. The Bloody Mermaid. If I'm not mistaken, that's what you wanted to name your ship at first right? Well, I personally think Black Skull is better." She popped open the bottle and took a step closer towards the grave.

"You can all rest now after one last drink"

She poured the bottle onto the grave, the liquid dripping down from the stone and flowed like the waves on the ocean. As soon as the bottle was empty, she popped it closed and put the empty bottle beside the grave.

"Thank you all for everything" She whispered her last words at the grave before she felt another draft, stronger than the previous one, hit her. Her blue eyes briefly widened, a gasp escaping her lips, and she brushed her dark strands out of her hair before looking out towards the ocean.

A smile appeared on her lips as she could almost see their ship sailing those untamed waters once again. Her singing along with the cheering of the crew echoed through her mind and she couldn't help but laugh.

 _Flashback_

 _"You have a weird crew"_

 _Hendrickson exclaimed in disbelief and he felt an arrow pierce his chest at the insult. "W... W... Weird?! I'll have you know that my crew is not weird! We're just different and a lot stronger than the others!" Hendrickson pointed out. His eyes widened when he saw a smirk on Liza's lips._

 _"I like weird"_

 _Hendrickson stared at her in his own shock before he grinned. "Then you'll be just fine at this crew" He said and Liza grunted. Dart and Stiles looked at the scene and smirked. It looks like she was going to fit in just fine._

 _"Hey, you lazy scumbags! Let's party!" Hendrickson exclaimed and all of the men cheered. Stiles tried to stop them because of the storm approaching but it was no use. They only had alcohol on their minds._

 _"Aye, Captain!"_

 _End of Flashback_

Liza turned around and glanced up before her blue eyes widened. Shanks stood there, not too far away from her, with a smile on his face and his hands resting in his pockets. He still had his straw hat on with his normal black cape behind him.

"Red Hair... I didn't even notice you. How long have you been standing there?" Liza asked as her body started to slowly move towards him. She took slow and steady steps, her body still aching from the healing wounds.

"Not that long, but long enough to see you pour that wine over his grave. Oh man...and that was good wine..." Shanks whined with a grin before he was playfully hit on his shoulder, both Liza and him laughing.

"Shut it, Red Hair. You can drink as much as you want at my bar. I still have a few barrels full" Liza pointed out and Shanks cheered. She laughed while rolling her eyes at the male's behavior. He was truly one of a kind.

"That sounds perfect! Then we can have a drinking contest again! I'm going to win this time!" Shanks stated with an arrogant gleam passing through his eyes. Liza scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"In your dreams, Red Hair. I will come out victorious, but I'll have to deny a drinking contest" She said and felt a stab against her pride. "Your doctor made it clear that I'm not allowed to drink until the wounds have at least started to close completely."

"W-W-What?! H-He expects you to put aside drinking for that long?! I'll go and have a talk with him" Shanks stated and Liza sweat dropped. He took his drinking much to serious at times but at least he was entertaining.

"Nah, it's fine. Unlike you, I'm not addicted to drinking and partying. I'll wait until my injuries close up." Liza stated with a smile and Shanks eyed her carefully. She was much calmer than before and it made him smile as well.

She looked content.

"Well, I guess there's no arguing with you then!" He said and grinned widely. "Richard and Aston should be at the bar by now. They helped us restock the ship but we finished a while ago." Liza raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I hope they do get paid for helping you so much. They're more your slaves than mine. They serve you food and alcohol _and_ help restock _your_ ship. You have no shame in using them, do you?" She pointed out and Shanks's eyes widened.

"T-That's not-! T-They offered to help me!" Liza burst out laughing and he glared at her. She couldn't help it. The male was too much fun to tease and he always seemed to fall for it. She glanced at him as he childishly pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Aww, I'm sorry. Did I upset the little baby redhead?" She teased him more making his cheeks flush but he averted his eyes away from her. He was trying his best to be mad at her but she knew exactly how to break his concentration.

She planted a soft kiss on his cheek, making his eyes widen. He looked back at her and saw a grin plastered on her lips. He felt his playful anger vanish and smiled back at her. He could never be mad at her.

"I was just teasing, Red Hair. I know that they help you out because they want to, not because you order them. All I ask is that you don't keep them too busy. We still have a bar to run" Liza stated and Shanks grunted.

"Yeah, I know."

She skeptically watched his wide grin and his eyes gleaming brightly. She chuckled and shook her head. She felt warmth inside her chest and a warm smile came onto her lips. Things seemed to change since the day before.

She still didn't know what to think after he confessed his feelings towards her and she didn't quite know how to sort her own feelings out. However, she decided to take a leap of faith. If things were to work out between them, then it was meant to be.

If not... Well, she would pass that bridge when she came to it. She wasn't going to commit herself into anything yet, she told him that. They were going to go with the flow and see where the waves took them.

As her thoughts trailed off, enough time passed before they arrived back at the bar. The sign on the door still said closed but the door was unlocked. She looked at the back and smiled. It felt good to be home.

"Richie is here since he unlocked the bar. We still have a few things to make sure of before we open up" Shanks gave her a disapproving look and she put her hands up in defense. "I promise not to do anything! I'll rest!"

"You better. We wouldn't want you to get into trouble again. Luckily, I'll be here to ensure none of that happens" Shanks stated and Liza rolled her eyes, the smile on her lips never wavering. They heard a transponder snail ring and Shanks pulled out the small Den Den Mushi.

"Hello?"

 ** _"Boss, we've got a problem this side. You might want to come here and see what it is"_** Benn's voice spoke up over the transponder snail and Shanks raised an eyebrow. A problem? Did they spill sake again? Were they still low on stock?

"What kind of problem, Benn?" Liza asked, her curiosity getting the best of her as she looked at the Den Den Mushi. Hopefully, it wasn't anything too major but since Shanks had to go look she wasn't too sure that it was a small problem.

 ** _"Liza? I see, you're there with him. Richard's at the bar and Aston is still helping us this side. Don't worry about it. It's just something that he has to come and see."_** Benn replied and Liza's brows twitched. He still refused to tell her.

"I'm on my way" Shanks said and put down the transponder snail before he looked back at Liza. "Sorry, but I have to check on whatever the problem is. I won't be gone too long" Liza gave him a stoic expression.

"Hey, I'm not five. I can take care of myself. No, even when I was five I could take care of myself. You go ahead and take your time! You have responsibilities too" Liza said and walked towards the door of the bar.

"Liza" She turned around to face him only to feel a pair lips press onto her own. Her eyes widened at the sudden action and he pulled her closer, his gently gently resting on her hip. She felt heat surge through her body and her eyes closed.

He was a good kisser, she had to admit but he always picked the most unexpected times to kiss her. Not that she complained. No, it was the exact opposite. She enjoyed kissing the male even if he caught her off guard.

"I'll be back" Shanks rasped out as they broke the kiss, both of them breathing heavy and their cheeks flushed. Liza vaguely nodded at the male, her mind still in a haze and felt his hand move away from her hip.

He gave her his usual wide, innocent grin before he walked off. She watched as he left, the presence of his lips still on hers and swallowed thickly. That male was going to be the end of her. She thought with a sigh before she stepped inside the bar.

"That was intense!" Richard said after he let out a whistle and Liza's eyes snapped towards the male who stood behind the bar counter. He obviously saw everything. She could feel her embarrassment rise and growled.

"Oh, shut up... You should be making sure what we need and if we need to restock ourselves!" She scolded the male and Richard scurried off, not wanting to endure Liza's wrath. She glared at the male's figure until he vanished into the cellar.

She let out a heavy sigh and ran her hand through her dark strands. She didn't want Richard to see them kissing but shrugged it off. They would've found out sooner or later. She didn't want them to find out too soon because she hadn't made up her mind yet.

 _It's too late now..._ She thought to herself before she moved towards the bar counter. She touched the wooden surface and a small smile came onto her lips. This was where she met all of those strange people.

She looked back at the piano and then the pierced target against the wall. They always had a blast in her bar and if it wasn't for this wooden building she wouldn't have found her own peace. After all, it was her home.

Liza's blue eyes softened slightly but a gleam of worry passed through her eyes. She had a lot to fix up when she got better. She was going to train Aston just as she promised and make sure that he was strong enough to fight his own battles. After that, she would decide where to go next.

The doorbell of the bar rang as someone opened the door behind her. Did she forget to make sure the sign said closed? It seemed after that redhead clown kissed her she completely forgot what to do. She silently vowed to get him later for catching her off guard.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but we're still closed. If you won't mind, we'll be open in a little while so please be patient" She said as she turned around, a small smile on her lips. However, when her blue eyes finally looked at the person they widened and a gasp escaped her mouth.

No way...

* * *

 ** _Back at the Red Hair Pirates' ship..._**

"Benn, there better be a very good reason for calling me here. You're the Vice-Captain, can't you sort out small problems by your own?" Shanks stated, a small frown on his lips and slightly irritated at the male.

"This isn't something that I can sort out. This isn't even something that concerns me. It's something much worse than that" Benn said and Shanks briefly stopped in his tracks, his eyebrow raising in confusion.

"Boss! W-What are you going to do now?! Please tell us you have a plan!" Lucky Roo spoke up as he ran out onto the deck, Yasopp following. Shanks gave him a blank look before he let out a heavy sigh.

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't know? Um... Boss, you might to look at the harbor." Yasopp said while pointing at the harbor behind them. Shanks blinked a few times before he was handed a pair of binoculars and looked through them.

"We went to ask some of the residence at the port and they said that it's been there for two days now. That means it must've arrived here before we came back" Yasopp stated as Shanks looked until he caught glance of a familiar raft-like structure.

They all watched as Shanks's eyes widened in disbelief and he let the binoculars drop. His brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed while a deep frown came onto his lips. This was exactly what he didn't have time for. Now he understood what Benn meant by problem that he would want to see.

"Damn him! He has terrible timing! Why the hell would he come here now?!" Shanks cursed and glared at the port. Benn inhaled his cigarette deeply before letting a smoky breath escape his lips and looked back at Shanks.

"You do know what this means, Boss?"

"Yes, I know, but I'm not backing down! This is one fight that I'm not going to lose with him! I made a promise and no lone-wolf-swordsman is going to make me break it" Shanks said, a determined gleam passing through his eyes making Benn chuckle.

 _Poor Liza..._

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile, back at the bar..._**

To say that she was shocked was probably an understatement and she could feel that her body refused to move from its spot next to the counter. Of all the things she expected, the male standing in front of her wasn't one of them.

"It's been a while, Red Menace, you look as breathtaking as always" The male husked out, his golden eyes scanning her physique. "At first, I feared that you left this island while in my absence but I can see that you're still running this rowdy bar of yours"

Liza seemed to snap out of her shock and haze before she smirked at the male. After two years, he finally decided to come back. However, he had terrible timing indeed. He was the first male that she let her guard down.

She still remembered the very first time that he stepped into the bar, everything going quiet and every step he took was intense. His golden eyes even more intense. The passionate kisses they shared and the heat that surged through her body.

Yes, she remembered it almost too clearly. This male... This pirate... She remembered everything about him and she knew that even if she tried she would never forget his face. Especially not after the promise he made... He would come back for more...

"Hawk-Eyes... You've finally returned..."

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	31. Chapter 31

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 31**_

The tension in her bar was high. Higher than it had even been in all the years she ran it. The men didn't even want to drink or eat. They were either too scared or tense to order food or alcohol and it irritated her to no end. It had been going on for a day and they didn't even make any money.

Shanks came back not too long after Mihawk stepped inside the bar and she was still in shock. Of all the times and of all the things she expected to happen a quarrel between them was not one of them. Especially since that quarrel involved her.

She felt like she was in a whirlpool. She didn't know which way to go or what to say. She was in her own predicament and she didn't know which way out. She hated it. She hated being cornered by something she vowed to herself to never be problem for her.

A love quarrel.

Usually, she didn't have any problems with men. She could easily cast them aside but these two pirates, they were different. Too different. They were the first men she ever felt attracted too and she didn't actually know how to react in this situation.

She thought that after two years, she would forget the peculiar feelings that Mihawk aroused in her heart. She thought even more so when she secretly started to develop feelings for Shanks and accepted that Mihawk wouldn't come back.

However, he did.

As soon as her blue eyes met his piercing golden orbs, everything came rushing back to her. The passion he stirred in her, the way he challenged her with his eyes, his smooth words and everything that happened two years ago.

The passionate part of her burst aflame and she wanted to curse at herself. She knew that he vowed to come back...to come back for more, but she thought that it was just another empty promise as usual. Yet, it wasn't.

She didn't know what she was going to do. Things finally looked like they were going well between her and Shanks and she would lie if she said that she didn't have feelings for the male but she still had feelings for Mihawk as well.

Liza groaned and hit the wood beneath her, wincing at the straining in her back as she did so. She let out a sigh and relaxed her aching muscles. She sat at the small desk next to her bed in her room trying to do some of the bar's taxes and tried to list all the things they would have to restock.

So far, she wasn't getting anywhere. Her mind continued to trail off on its own and it frustrated her to no end. She let out another heavy sigh and stacked the papers neatly before storing them in the drawer attached to the desk.

She calmly stood up, put her hat on and glanced at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were starting to get dark circles under them from the sleepless nights and she could tell that her body was stiff from only resting, which she couldn't do.

Deciding that resting or trying to do her normal business was not going to help her get her thoughts straight, she exited her room. She closed the door behind her only to hear a yelp follow from Richard's room.

Raising an eyebrow and finding that her curiosity overcame her, she walked towards his room and softly knocked on his door. It wasn't completely closed and was a bit open but she didn't want to just barge in there unannounced.

"Richie? You in here?" She asked as she opened the door completely before her blue eyes widened at the sight. Aston sat shirtless on a wooden chair, his eyes clenched slightly shut and his expression filled with pain.

"Oh, Liza-chan? Yeah, I'm just busy removing this disgusting piece of art from his shoulder and neck" Richard said and briefly pushed up his goggles. He sat next to Aston, a strange yet small machine in his grasp as he slowly removed the ink of the tattoo off Aston's skin.

It was an odd sight.

"It's been a while since I saw you bust out your old equipment, Richie. Is that tattooing that bad that you had to wear those terribly fashioned goggles?" Liza asked as she crossed her arms over her chest while smirking.

"It's terrible" He bluntly stated and she chuckled at his response before looking at Aston's pain stricken expression. Her face softened slightly and she felt sympathetic with the male. It was sore to get a tattoo removed, sometimes even more so than getting one.

"I-I thought that Richard-san w-was a s-shipwright... N-Not a t-tattoo artist...Ow..." Aston murmured softly and flinched once more when the stinging sensation returned. Richard managed to erase another line of ink before he looked back at Aston.

"I was a shipwright and some of the best if you must know, but my mother was a tattoo artist while my father taught me everything about ships. I picked up a thing or two about how to make tattoos and it was kind of a hobby I did in the old days" Richard replied and Liza nodded.

"I remembered that when we started up Richard would always ask for extra money to do tattoos so we could get the bar enough money before upgrading it a bit. We received a lot of income that way since Pirates just love getting tattoos for some reason." Liza added and Aston raised an eyebrow.

"Then why did you stop?" He asked making Liza and Richard's eyes briefly widen. "I mean, if you made a lot of money that way, why didn't you continue doing it?" Liza and Richard glanced at each other before shrugging.

"Well, I guess the serving at the bar became a full time job and not a part time thing anymore. I couldn't keep up with the amount of customers and needed Richie's help." Liza stated and Richard grunted.

"She's right and besides, I prefer working on ships or something crafty before permanently inking a person's skin. I'm not fond of making people looking like a coloring book" Richard said and Liza laughed along with Aston.

However, he winced again when the stinging pain returned and Richard let out a sigh. He sat back, shut down his machine and put it on the cupboard. He took off his goggles and looked at the red stained skin.

"But, I am fond of art and what this person did was definitely not art. Whatever they did or used, it messed up your skin real bad, kid. That mark will stay there even if it's not in ink. This is so frustrating" Richard growled out while Liza frowned.

"What if you put another tattoo there?" They blinked a few times before looking at Aston in confusion. "If you put on another tattoo wouldn't it cover it up the damage they made?" He asked and Liza smirked while Richard rubbed his chin.

"Sure, I should be able to cover it up...but are you sure about this? Are you sure that you want a tattoo? Once it's on, I won't take it off unless it looks terrible" Richard stated and Aston glanced back at him before grinning widely.

"I'm sure."

"Then it's settled. Richie, you can get out your designs and show him what you can do but his skin must recover first. I suggest you put on a plaster and a bit of cream on that raw skin." Liza ordered and they nodded.

"Since we're off today, Liza-san, can I maybe go out for a bit? I want to practice my power a little bit and every free time I have is a great opportunity" Aston said and Liza stared at the male before she grinned.

"Then, how about I train you a bit today?" She suggested and their eyes widened. "Don't worry, I won't strain myself. I'll just give you some pointers and methods. Besides, I promised" Richard blinked a few times before he let out a deep sigh.

"Well, there's no stopping you so I guess it's alright, but if you do anything stupid I'm going to drag you back to bed" He said while pointing at her and she nodded. "Go on, Kid, get ready before you two head out"

They watched in amusement as he scurried off to get himself ready for his first training session with Liza. He was too excited for his own good. He knew that Liza wasn't going to make it easy for him, but he was fine with that. As long as he got stronger.

"I should wait for him downstairs. It shouldn't be long until he's ready by the way he's rushing." Liza said with a small smirk, her blue eyes gleaming faintly. She was relieved to go out and get some fresh air even if it meant training Aston for a bit.

"Liza-chan" She glanced back at Richard who had a serious expression. "I know it's probably none of my business...but what are you going to do with Shanks and Mihawk?" He asked and Liza's smirk fell away instantly. She averted her eyes to the ground and a deep frown came onto her lips.

"Richie, to be honest, I don't know. I have never been in a situation like this before and it frustrates me to no end. I know very well that running away and avoiding it won't solve anything but... I don't want to choose" Liza said and Richard frowned.

He could see that it was hard on her and that it was tearing her. He honestly thought things were going their way but there was always something that came in the way. He never knew why Liza had to be the victim of it.

"If you need someone to talk to, just know that I'm here, Liza-chan. I may not have a solution but it's good to talk about things. It gives you a better perspective about everything" Richard gave her a reassuring smile and Liza nodded, a smile tugging at her own lips.

"Thanks, Richie, I appreciate it" Liza said before she turned to leave. She was grateful that Richard always found a way to make her feel better despite not being able to find a solution to the situation. It was something she had to find on her own.

"Liza-chan, before you go. There's something that you need to remember" Richard spoke up once again and Liza stopped dead in her tracks, not glancing back. She already had a feeling about he was going to say but still decided to hear him out.

"They're pirates. Their hearts belong to the sea where freedom lies. Their hearts can't be anchored to one place" Richard said and a shadow feel over Liza's eyes. She felt her heart clench at his words and let out a sigh.

"Yes... I know..."

Liza walked out of the room without another word and closed the door behind her. Richard watched as she left and let out a deep sigh while his face softened. He knew that Liza was already aware of his words, but still decided to say them. Unfortunately, it was something she needed to consider.

Liza stood in front of the door for a few seconds before she let out a shaky breath. Her blue eyes dimmed slightly from its normal bright color and a small frown came onto her lips. She felt another small squeeze in her chest.

Richard was right, she knew that...but it was painful to accept. Oh, who was she kidding? She always knew that pirates were free and she knew that if she one day found love that it would have to endure over a distance.

Maybe that was the reason she never went out to look for it, because she knew that if she would find it, it wouldn't stay. She didn't expect them to leave everything and stay with her, on the contrary. She wanted them to continue to pursue their dreams.

She started to walk away towards the stairs that led to the bar, her heels softly hitting the wooden floor beneath her. A shadow covered her blue eyes once again and the frown never left her plush lips.

She couldn't do it.

She reached the stairs and put her hand on the railing as she slowly descended to the ground floor. As her hand trailed over the wooden surface of the railing, her vision changed and her blue eyes widened.

Swords clashing. Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

Liza gasped as she lost her footing on the stairs and somehow managed to snap back to reality, her eyes still wide. _W-What was that...?_ She felt her body briefly go cold and clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself for the impact.

 _Damn it...!_ She mentally cursed and gritted her teeth. She expected the impact to hurt and be much harder. Instead, she fell against a firm object and she felt something strong wrap around her, pulling her up.

"For someone who should be resting, you're quite active. You're a stubborn woman" A husky voice spoke up and Liza slowly opened her eyes before they fixated onto a golden pair of orbs, a smirk covering the male's lips.

"H-Hawk-Eyes..." She rasped out and realized that he was holding her tightly in his arms, her chest pressing against his well-built chest. She felt her cheeks heat up and her heart started to race. He caught her? Wait, when did he get there?

Swords clashing. Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

Her blue eyes widened and she felt a cold sensation rush through her blood again. Mihawk's eyes widened when he felt her body shiver and his embrace tightened on her. What happened? What did she see?

Liza knew those swords almost too well. One was Shanks's sword and the other one was Mihawk's black bladed sword. She could never forget those blades especially since she once saw them collide. However, she didn't know what the other signs meant and it made her swallow thickly.

Never once did she struggle to decipher a premonition but now she did? What did it all mean? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. She felt her body relax in his hold and briefly closed her eyes. She didn't have the time or strength to worry about it.

"I-I apologize, I guess that I lost my footing there for a moment" Liza said as she found her balance but Mihawk didn't let her go. She felt his intense stare and looked away, not liking the fact that he stared at her.

"You should be resting" Liza huffed in reply and he slowly let her go. She managed to stand on her own and looked back at Mihawk. His expression stoic and unreadable. If only she could figure out what was going on behind those golden eyes.

"You said it yourself, didn't you? I'm stubborn. Besides, I'll go crazy if I rested the entire day." Her blue eyes narrowed at him. "You still seem to have that habit of sneaking into places even after two years, Hawk-Eyes. Why are you here?" She asked and watched as he smirked.

"I came to check up on you only to find you falling down the stairs. I'm sure a woman such as yourself won't easily lose her balance like that. Is it because of your injuries or something else?" Mihawk asked and Liza's eyes briefly narrowed before she smirked.

"A woman such as myself? You seem to know me very well, Hawk-Eyes... " She turned her back towards him and glanced back. "If you don't mind me, I'm going out to train my kid bartender" She said and completely blew off the question.

Mihawk chuckled in amusement and his golden eyes gleamed faintly. She never seemed to amaze him even after all this time she stayed the same. Mysterious, beautiful and dangerous. He never could underestimate her.

"I do mind, and therefore I shall occupy you. I don't want you do injure yourself more than you already are. You seem to be a danger for yourself" Mihawk stated and Liza's finger flicked over her dagger but she never unsheathed it.

"Oh? What a thing to say... Sure, you can join us, just don't blame me if things get a bit boring." She waved him off, a smirk covering her lips. How he missed those lips... He returned the smirk and followed her.

"I doubt that you can be boring, Red Menace"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	32. Chapter 32

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 32**_

"U-Um... Liza-san? I...I thought it was only going to be us..." Aston spoke as he walked behind Liza and Mihawk who gave off a very intimidating aura. He was under the impression it was only going to be Liza joining him but when he came downstairs, he saw Mihawk who still followed them.

"Well, Hawk-Eyes decided to join us since he had nothing better to do, neh?" Liza looked back at Mihawk and he briefly glanced at her before grunting. Liza looked back at Aston and gave him a grin that made him sweat drop.

It wasn't really reassuring. He didn't quite know what was going on between them all but according to Richard, Liza was in a pinch. She had to make a big decision and it involved both Mihawk and Shanks. About what exactly, Aston didn't know.

"Alright, this should be the right spot" Liza said as they came to stop at a small open field and crossed her arms over her chest with a nod. She looked back at Aston and gestured for him to go and stand in front.

"O-Okay, what do you want me to do first, Liza-san? Should I train my muscles or my Devil's Fruit...?" Aston asked and watched nervously as Liza smirked at him. Mihawk stood next to her, saying nothing and his face stoic.

"Since I'm here training you, we're going to train your Devil's Fruit. It's a very interesting fruit you ate and I would like to see what you're capable of now. It'll be a great aid to your strength" Liza stated and Aston raised an eyebrow.

"Y-You know how to train someone with a Devil's Fruit ability? D-Does that mean that you ate one too, Liza-san?" Aston hesitantly asked and blinked a few times. It was something that he honestly didn't know.

"That's an interesting question and it has been occupying my thoughts for some time now. Could it be that you're a Devil's Fruit user, Red Menace?" Mihawk asked and Liza glanced back at him before she chuckled.

"No, I've never ate one in my life and I can still swim. _That_ power is something that I've inherited from my bloodline, nothing achieved" Liza looked back at Aston. "I've seen a lot of Devil's Fruit users in my days, Kid, I know the basics but you have to do the rest" She explained and Aston nodded.

"First things first. You're a paramecia" She pointed at Aston. "That means you can now be classified as 'superhuman'. That means your iron power can affect your body but you should be able to manipulate your environment or produce substances." Liza elaborated but Aston looked confused.

She wanted to explain in deeper detail but already saw that the male was perplexed. He didn't seem to know anything about a Devil's Fruit or even the type he had. That meant she had to teach him almost everything.

She sighed and shook her head. It was going to take a lot more effort than she thought it would but she promised. She was going to make him stronger and his Devil's Fruit ability was currently the core to his power.

"Let me give an example. You were able to control my cuffs and you manipulated iron to make a cage like before. You were even able to manipulate Hades' sword to pierce him. That means you can control your environment. You have one of the abilities then" Liza held up one finger.

"However, that is not enough. There isn't always iron wherever you go and that is why we're going to go back to step one. You have to use your ability to suit your body and make it stronger. In other words, you have to turn into an iron human" Aston's eyes widened.

"I-Iron h-human? I-Is that even possible? I-I mean, I knew that I could manipulate iron but actually become it? Isn't that stretching my ability a bit too far, Liza-san?" Aston asked but Liza gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's possible. I know you can do it but you'll have to concentrate. You have the power, all you have to do is learn how to use it to your advantage" Liza replied and Aston's eyes briefly widened before he smirked, suddenly filled with confidence.

"I understand!"

He brought his hands together and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and relaxed his muscles. He had the power and all he had to do was awaken it. It sounded easy enough, but he needed to do it.

"Impressive. You almost sound like a Devil's Fruit eater yourself. You must've encountered a lot of ability users in your past" Mihawk stated with an impassive tone that contracted his husky voice and smirk.

"I encountered more than normal, but like I said... I'm not a Devil's Fruit eater" Liza said, never taking her eyes off Aston. She still wore her confident smirk as she watched as vague green aura surround the boy's body.

"It's called 'Premonition'" Mihawk looked back at her. "The power I have is called 'Premonition'. I was born with it. It sounds like a bunch of bull, but with that ability I can predict the future and what is to come" She said and Mihawk's eyes widened.

"It's an ability that's been in my family for generations and a lot of people would kill to have such a skill or even have someone like that by their side. It's actually more a curse than an ability" Liza stated sadly, her face falling slightly.

"I can understand why. By knowing the future, one can manipulate it and try to change it for one's own ability. I must admit that I didn't expect you to have such a gift" Mihawk said and Liza let out a dry chuckle.

"Gift? You're overestimating it a little, Hawk-Eyes" A sad smile came onto her lips. "But, you're wrong. By knowing, the future doesn't mean you can prevent things that are going to happen. If it's meant to be then it will happen even if the circumstances changes" She softly stated.

"I understand..." He trailed off before a thought passed through his mind. "May I ask what do you see in my future?" Liza's eyes widened and she looked back at the male. Was he serious? Was he asking her to tell him his future?

She could see in his golden eyes that he was indeed serious and smirked. He was a sneaking male indeed. However, she could say that she expected him to ask her something like that. It seemed like something he would do.

"Sure" She gently put her hand on his cheek and closed her blue eyes. Mihawk watched her with intensity and saw her face twitch a bit before she relaxed. He was more fixated and interested in her calm expression that his future.

"World's greatest swordsman surpassed by one even greater. Three swords. Three golden earrings. Green hair." A smirk came onto her features and she opened her eyes. "Someone who you will train to become greater" She stated, amused at what she concluded.

"I'll train a swordsman to kill me to claim my title? That's a strange premonition and sounds like nonsense." Mihawk stated and Liza pulled back her hand, her own smirk plastered on her lips. She looked back at Aston.

"Yes, it does, but it also sounds like you're one big softy." Mihawk blushed lightly. "It looks like you have quite an interesting future ahead of you. I wish I could see it come true" Another sad look crossed her face but before he could ask her, Aston let out a yell and finally transformed.

His skin turned to hardened iron, his hair and clothes soon following. A small crater was created underneath him from the force and Liza smirked. He did it. Aston let out a breath and a small trail of sweat cascaded down the side of his face.

"Good, you can now transform and manipulate, but you'll have to practice your transformation for now. You need to learn that your body should be iron all the time, despite appearing normal. That is what you have to do now" Liza started walking towards Aston and he grinned victorious.

"I will!"

"Also, you'll have to train how to make yourself stronger, much stronger. Iron is not as strong as steel but it can be. It depends on how hard you train and how determined you are. However, currently you can't even stop yourself from getting cut" Liza said and Aston raised an eyebrow.

His eyes widened and before he knew it, Liza pulled out her dagger and cut the skin on his face that was covered in iron. He winced and quickly grabbed his cheek. He looked back at the blood on his finger and then Liza.

"See? You're not hardened enough. I could even cut you with a dull blade. The only way to train it is to become physically stronger by training in that form." Liza stated and sheathed her dagger before looking back at Aston.

"I understand. I will do my absolute...best..." Aston fell onto his knees, his skin turning normal and breathed heavy. "Damn it... My body...doesn't want to stay...in that form..." He cursed but Liza snickered.

"Then you know what to do, right?" Liza said and Aston's face lit up before he nodded again. He found the strength to stand up again and relaxed his muscles once again. He could transform again. He knew he could.

Liza nodded in satisfaction and took a few steps back until she was next to Mihawk. She watched as Aston managed to change into iron much quicker than before but he seemed to concentrate to stay in that form longer than before. He was a fast learner.

"You're a good teacher, Red Menace. You never stop amazing me" Mihawk stated and Liza glanced back at him, a grin coming onto her lips. He couldn't help but smirk back at her and admired the way she looked carefree.

"Liza-chan~!" Oh no.

Liza turned around to see the owner of the voice while Mihawk glanced back at the male. Shanks walked towards them, a big innocent grin on his face and Benn by his side. Not too far behind them, Yasopp and Lucky Roo laughed.

This wasn't good. Mihawk and Shanks together? It was a recipe for trouble. Liza glanced between them before her eyes widened. The vision... She saw their swords clashing. Could it be that they were going to fight? But why?

"Hey, Liza! Are you listening?" Shanks's voice reached her ears again. Liza snapped out of her thoughts and looked back at the pairs of eyes that stared at her. Was she that lost in thought that she didn't hear them talking?

"Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment. What did you say?" Liza asked, a smile coming onto her lips but her blue eyes held another emotion. Shanks briefly glanced at Benn who shrugged before he looked back at Liza.

"I asked if you were opening the bar today"

"Oh, not today. I'm opening it up tomorrow, but for today I'm helping Aston to train" Liza replied as she pointed behind her towards Aston who stood covered in iron. He seemed to be concentrating very hard to keep his form and didn't even notice they were there.

"I hope you aren't putting any stress on yourself. You still need to rest a lot. Where is Richard when you need him to keep you in bed?" Shanks asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. Liza huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, a smirk covering her lips.

"My dear, Red Hair, not even you can keep me in bed" She replied and their eyes widened. She chuckled and turned back to Aston. "Besides, I made a promise that I would help him train. I'm not straining myself and Mihawk joined me. I think I'm quite safe" Liza's face fell slightly.

Mihawk noticed this and his brows furrowed. She was acting extremely strange all of the sudden and he had a feeling that there was more to it than Shanks's sudden appearance. There was something that was bothering her.

"Well, would you look at that? The kid's actually able to turn into iron! That's impressive! Not something I would give my ability to swim for, but still impressive" Shanks stated and Aston slowly opened his eyes before they blinked in surprise.

"Shanks-san and Benn-san. What are you doing here?" Aston asked, losing concentration but Liza noticed that he didn't change back. A smirk came onto her lips. It looked like his powers only needed to be risen before they could be used by his subconscious.

"We came here to check what you guys were up to. I actually thought I could get something good to drink…" Shanks winked at Liza and merely received an eye roll making him sigh. Benn chuckled and lit a new cigarette.

"We'll have a drink tomorrow, Boss. Leave Liza to recover a bit. You just said that she needed the rest so stop forcing her to open her bar" Benn scolded the male and Shanks let his shoulders slump in defeat.

"Thank you, Benn" Benn nodded and Liza smiled. "You can get one round of drinks on me tomorrow, alright? That includes you too." Liza said glancing at Mihawk that returned the smile. She then turned back to Aston and walked towards him.

"Hey! How come he gets a free drink too?!"

Liza walked towards Aston and put a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her and unconsciously fell out of his Iron Body state. She then glanced back at the group of men. She smirked and took her hand of Aston's shoulder.

"Because he has manners" She replied and Shanks was about to reply but found to words. His three men laughed while Mihawk chuckled in amusement. He received a glare from Shanks but his cold shoulder easily shook it off.

"Come on, Aston, let's go back." Liza said and Aston nodded. "Oh, and one more thing" Liza turned around, her eyes narrowing onto Mihawk and Shanks, her face darkening almost instantly. They involuntarily swallowed thickly at the ominous aura that came off her.

"No fighting" It was a warning and a threat that they nodded to. She then smiled and walked away without another word. Aston hurriedly followed her, not wanting to encounter her wrath while the other men stared at her back in confusion.

What was she warning them against?

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	33. Chapter 33

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 33**_

Liza lay on her bed while staring at the ceiling above her, her blue eyes quivering slightly with an uncertain and saddened emotion. Her heart felt caged, imprisoned in-between bars not knowing which way to escape.

She barely knew how long she lay on her bed while thinking about everything. She hoped to find a solution beneath all her quarrels but found none. What was she to do? The answer had not yet come to her.

She didn't want to choose. She wasn't going to choose.

Liza sat up with a sigh and ran a hand through her dark hair. She glanced at herself in the mirror and a dry chuckle escaped her lips. She'd seen better days. She started to get dark circles beneath her eyes and she looked tired.

She was still bandaged up pretty well but her injuries were healing very nicely. She could feel most of the pain subside and could do more. It still hurt when she breathed heavy or did any extreme movement, but otherwise she felt fine.

She caught glance of her dagger on her bedside and reached out towards it. She took it in her hand and stared down at it. The images of Shanks and Mihawk's swords clashing invaded her thoughts and her brows furrowed.

Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

Liza's head ached at the visions that passed through her mind and she wanted to groan. What did it all mean? Why couldn't she decipher any of it? Was it because she was personally involved? No, that couldn't be the reason, could it?

However, the more she thought about it the more frustrated she became. She needed to let out some steam and beating someone up was only going to make it worse. She needed to relax, calm her nerves.

Liza was quick to sheathe her dagger and exited her room soon after. The bar would still be closed and open a bit later giving her the space she needed. She headed down the stairs, not seeing Richard or Aston anywhere as she did so. They had to be out to buy some supplies, or so she presumed.

She was all alone in the bar. It was perfect.

She glanced at the piano, her heart giving a squeeze as she stared before she walked over towards it. Her finger tips grazed over the white notes and she let out a shaky breath as she went to sit down. Her fingers found their rightful positions and she took a deep breath.

Usually she had a song in mind that she could sing to get out her troubles but this time, none came to mind. Was she that lost? Deciding not to ponder around on another thought, her fingers pressed down onto the notes and she stared to play a soft melody.

Swords Clashing. Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

The images became more refined and detailed as she continued to play. She saw Shanks and Mihawk fighting not backing down even once from their fight. Their eyes were sealed on each other's gaze and determined to win.

Then the wood burning and inside the burning wood was a bloodied journal. The writing on top was damaged from the fire and the blood smudged the name of who it belonged to. She couldn't recognize it at all.

Then there was a grave, an unknown one. Beside her Captain's grave was yet another one, but the image was blurred. She couldn't read the text or name on it, but she could feel the incredible hollow feeling that built up in her chest.

She stared at the grave, her heart aching with each beat, her chest heaving from the sobs that rippled through her and the wet tears that cascaded down her cheeks. Someone was going to die. Someone near her. Someone dear to her.

The tone of the melody suddenly became dark and sorrowful. Her fingers played harder on the piano and unconsciously, tears fell from her eyes. It was frightening. No, it was horror. She feared who it may be. She didn't know if she could take another loss of anyone she loved.

Then the entire vision shifted and everything suddenly went black. Liza's eyes shot open and she jumped back from the piano, landing on her sore back in result. She gasped out in pain, her breathing heavy.

"Liza!" It was a familiar voice and it took her a few moments before she realized who it was. A pair of strong and steady arms were quick to help her up. He was gentle knowing that she fell on her injured back.

"B-Benn, w-what are you doing here?" Liza asked as he held onto him for support, her mind still a bit in a whirl and her back hurting. She knew that she pushed herself too far and it resulted in her ability rebelling against her.

"I was passing by to see if you opened up to let Shanks know when I saw you suddenly jerked away from the piano. What happened? Are you alright?" Benn asked and Liza managed to give him a half smile while nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was startled, that's all." She groaned when another pain rippled from her back and bit her bottom lip. "I probably shouldn't have jumped back like that. My back hurts like hell now" She grumbled out as Benn helped her up.

"You were startled? By what? Hey, are those tears?" Benn asked and Liza looked up at him in confusion. She touched her cheeks and felt the wetness of her tears, her eyes widening in result. She cried?

"There's probably something in my eyes. That piano is a bit dusty and I didn't dust it off" Liza excused but knew Benn wouldn't buy it. "Help me over to the counter, will you?" Benn nodded and helped her to sit down, trying not to cause unwanted pain her.

"Thanks"

"Care to explain yourself to me now?" Benn asked and Liza looked up at him, her brows furrowing and a frown forming on her lips. "Liza, whether you like it or not we care about you. I don't believe you could jump back like that while crying just because of a startle and something in your eyes"

Liza let out a sigh and nodded. "Fine, but don't go telling that crazy redhead yet. I want to tell him this myself" Liza pointed out and Benn nodded, his brows furrowing in his own confusion. Something she wanted to tell Shanks herself? How serious was this going to be?

"I have a special ability called 'Premonition'. I was born with it. It sounds unreal, but with this ability I can predict the future and what is to come." Liza started and Benn stared at her with wide eyes and in disbelief.

"It's a curse that's been in my family for generations and it's something that I had to control throughout my life. I have split image visions of the future and then decipher them." Liza continued while Benn stared at her, speechless.

"You can see the future?"

"That's one way of putting it. I haven't been wrong about the future's I've seen and not a lot of people don't know about this. I've been called crazy or even insane because of it. It's very dangerous in the wrong hands" Liza said and Benn briefly shook his head o rid himself of the shock.

"Alright, let me get this straight. You have the ability to see the future through vision that you receive. That doesn't quite explain the entire ability or the fact that you retreated away from the piano earlier" Benn stated and Liza nodded.

"I usually have visions when I touch something connected or in the center of the future event. For instance, a person or a sentimental artifact, anything of the sort. The reason behind the scene is because I pushed by ability too far and it backfired" Liza replied and Benn blinked a few times.

"Wait, you had another vision?"

"Yes, but this one… This one I can't decipher completely. I don't understand it. Normally I would just try to block out my ability or immediately know what it means, but not this time. I tried to figure it out and it backfired" Liza sighed and let her face fall to her hands.

She felt frustrated.

"This is a lot to take in" Liza glanced back at him as he went to light a new cigarette. "You have an ability to see the future without eating a Devil's Fruit. Wait, have you looked into any of the crew's futures? Did you know of Aston's kidnapping or you getting hurt?" Liza shook her head.

"No, it's not a permanent thing. It only happens occasionally. However, I've had three visions ever since you returned. One of Whitebeard's men, one intentionally and one I can't decipher" Liza answered and Benn let out a deep breath filled with smoke.

He looked back at Liza, his face reading a bit of amusement and she raised an eyebrow. "You know, you're going to make Shanks want you on our ship even more. A musician, an assassin, an ability to see the future. You're the strangest woman I've ever met" Benn pointed out and Liza laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment"

"Liza-chan! We're back!" Richard's voice came from the entrance of the bar as he entered along with Aston. "Oh, Benn! We were just talking about you! Your Captain really doesn't know when to stop talking" He whispered the last part and Benn chuckled.

"Hey! I heard that!" Shanks's voice joined in and Aston sweat dropped. Liza watched as Shanks walked inside and he door closed behind them. He looked back at Liza and grinned widely at her, a small smile forming onto her own lips.

"As always, you're too loud, Red Hair" Liza shook her head with a chuckle. "Richie, you and Aston can go and put those down in the kitchen. I'll start to make breakfast soon since we're opening in a little while." Liza ordered and they nodded.

"Finally! I can have something great to drink! I've been waiting to drink and party here since we got back" Shanks said as he sat down next to Benn who chuckled. Liza walked towards the front door and twisted the sign to show 'open' before she looked back at Shanks.

"You and party. Don't you ever get bored of too much partying?" Shanks seriously shook his head and she laughed. Of course he didn't. She also knew that she loved drinking and partying as well but she knew where to stop. Shanks took his enjoyment of alcohol to another level.

"You should know by now that I take my drinking very seriously" Shanks said with a smirk and Liza snickered. Only Shanks could say a very amusing statement in a serious manner. He had a way with words.

Her face fell slightly and a sad smile came onto her face. "Well, I should go prepare breakfast. Richie! Serve these two gentlemen will you? Aston! Be sure to clean up the tables!" Liza ordered as she walked inside the kitchen, her saddened expression noticed by both Shanks, Benn and Richard.

"Understood!"

Shanks sat down next to Benn, a smile on his face but it didn't match his furrowing brows or the gleam in his eyes. Richard noticed their expressions but said nothing as he cleaned out a pair of mugs before he filled them with sake.

He knew that he shouldn't say anything but he knew he had to. Liza was not going to make a decision and he hated seeing her so troubled. He liked Shanks and knew very few of Mihawk. He knew well that Liza was in love with Mihawk the moment she saw him but Shanks was different.

She and Shanks had a friendship that led to love. It looked much more pure than what she and Mihawk had for each other. Even so, he couldn't decide for any of them, but he could push them a bit.

"You should go talk to her" Richard put the mugs down in front of them while Shanks looked up at him. "She's troubled and she's struggling on her own. If you really love her, you have to tell her" Richard said and Benn's brows briefly furrowed before he let out a smoke filled sigh.

"He may be right, Shanks. Liza's going through a lot now. She needs to know you're there for her" Benn spoke up and Richard gave him a confused look. Benn was talking about something else but Shanks brushed off the male's inner meaning.

"You're right… I'll go talk to her"

They watched as Shanks stood up, not touching his freshly served sake to their shock and walked towards the kitchen. They were right. This was one battle he was going to win against Mihawk and Liza needed to know that he was going to fight for her.

"I take it we should stay clear of the kitchen" Aston said as he finished cleaning the last table and looked back at them. Richard nodded, his eyes briefly glancing at the kitchen door before he continued cleaning other mugs out.

"We should leave them for a while. If the customers want food, we'll just tell them no food orders until they're done." Richard replied and Aston nodded. Richard looked down at Benn, his brows furrowing and a question lingering in his mind.

"What did you mean by she's going through a lot now? Did something else happen that we should know of?" Richard asked and Benn took in a deep breath. He held it in before briefly closing his eyes and exhaled.

"Nothing she wouldn't tell you about" He curtly replied and Richard blinked a few times in confusion. He vaguely nodded, knowing that Liza would tell him anything. He just needed to give her time to come to him.

* * *

 ** _In the kitchen…_**

Liza was quick to start with the food for the oncoming customers and to keep her mind off all her troubling matters. She couldn't help but think about the vision when she saw Shanks and it made an unsettling feeling rise in the pit of her stomach.

She silently decided that she needed to keep an eye on Shanks and Mihawk. She didn't and couldn't let them fight, especially if it was because of her. Never before did she decide to interfere with a vision but that was going to change.

She wasn't going to lose anyone.

She felt shifting behind her and spun around, dagger suddenly pointing at Shanks's throat. Both of their eyes widened before Liza quickly sheathed her dagger. She was so lost in thought that she almost cut Shanks when he started her.

"That was a close one! Remind me to never sneak up on you again!" Shanks exclaimed and rubbed his throat while swallowing thickly. He didn't expect her to react to fast and dangerous, but then again she _was_ an assassin.

"I apologize but you really shouldn't. I have a lot of dangerous reflexes that I prefer not to use" Liza spoke up before she turned back to the food and stirred the contents in the pot. "You better be here to help me cook, Red Hair"

Shanks rubbed the back of his head with an innocent grin. "Actually…" He trailed off and Liza glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow. "I have to talk to you about this and it can't wait" His expression turned serious and Liza turned towards him.

"Well? Spit it out?"

"Liza, I love you" Liza's eyes widened, her heart briefly stopping. "I know now that I am and do love you. I want you to know that I'm not going to leave you, ever. I can't imagine a life without you and I refuse to have one without you there" Shanks took a step closer and Liza swallowed thickly.

He loved her? He honestly said it and by the determined look in his eyes she knew that he wasn't lying. Why was he telling her this? Why couldn't she find any words to reply? Could she say it? Did she love him?

She wanted to take a step back in retreat but felt the cupboards right behind her. She couldn't retreat as he came closer and her body didn't want to obey her. She felt her face heat up, her heart hammering inside her chest and warmth fill her body.

Shanks put a hand on her cheek and gently stroked it. "I'm going to fight for you, Liza. No matter what, I'm going to fight for you and I'm going to win you over. No matter how long it will take." Shanks said and Liza bit her bottom lip.

"Red Hair, no one should fight over me. I'm not a reward to win at the end of a match or a long journey. You're a pirate, you shouldn't anchor yourself to one who cannot conquer the sea with you. You need to be free" Liza stated, averting her eyes not wanting to stare into his intense gaze.

"How can I conquer the sea without you by my side? How can I be free when you're the one who imprisoned my heart?" Liza's eyes widened and she looked back at him, her blue eyes gleaming with emotion. She managed a small smirk and chuckled.

"You always know what to say, don't you?"

Shanks chuckled and put his forehead onto Liza's, their hot breath mixing. "When I'm with you, I do" He husked before he kissed her gently. His hand went to her neck and he gently pulled her closer. Liza's eyes closed and her hands snaked around his neck, her fingers in his hair.

At that moment she didn't care. She didn't care about the vision that nagged at her in the back of her mind. She didn't care about the decisions she had to make or any other problem that surfaced from her subconscious.

She felt content in Shanks's arms.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	34. Chapter 34

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 34**_

She was screwed.

Liza didn't know what was going on with her and she was angry at herself for not holding back when it was needed. She could've stopped herself from kissing Shanks back but she didn't. She could've told him to leave but she didn't.

She felt even more hopeless in her current situation than before. Which way did she go? She didn't know which path to choose. She knew that she had to choose but she wasn't. She said it many times before but she had to keep telling herself that to convince herself.

She had feelings for them both. Shanks and Mihawk. She didn't know how it was possible to have feelings for more than one person but it happened. How did one decide between two handsome men who rivaled over you? She didn't know.

She did know that she knew much more about Shanks than Mihawk and vice versa. Mihawk was a complete mystery to her and according to her, he didn't know much about her either. After all, he was gone for two years.

When she first met the dark haired male, she felt immediately connected towards him. She was entranced by him and she couldn't get enough of his company. His golden gaze heated her up instantly and filled her with want.

It still did.

However, Shanks was different. In the beginning his obnoxious behavior was irritating. She couldn't figure him out since he was a mystery on his own. She then noted that's he enjoyed his crazy and outgoing behavior a lot.

Then two years passed.

Liza glanced at hands, her eyes catching the hilt of her dagger in the corner of her blue eyes. She glanced up and stared at the rowdy bar behind the kitchen door. A small smile came onto her lips as she caught sight of the Red Hair pirates laughing along with Aston while Richard waited on tables.

She knew now that she changed in two years and a lot happened. Shanks appeared when she needed him the most. Thanks to him being there she was able to make peace with her past and finally move on.

That's when she knew something was going to change even if it was unconsciously. When she was alone, there he was standing with a big goofy grin on his face. It brightened up her day just to think about it.

He was an idiot, but he was her idiot.

Liza's eyes suddenly widened and a small gasp escaped her. What? Since when did she think like that? Oh no. What about Mihawk? About the feelings she had for him? Those were still there, mocking her and warming up her body more than it needed to.

"Liza-chan! Hey, Liza-chan, where are you?!" Richard's voice called out for Liza and she managed to snap out of her thoughts. She looked up when Richard entered the kitchen and his eyes fell onto her a smile came onto his lips.

"There you are! We were calling you but you never responded" Richard noticed her half far off look and his smile fell slightly. "I guess you were deep in thought then..." He trailed off and Liza gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that. I guess I was just figuring things out. I'm sure you'd want the orders you gave me. Did those Red Hair Pirates eat all the food I made for them?" Liza asked, snapping out of her haze and Richard chuckled.

"Yeah, they ate every last crumb you served them. Man, I thought they drank a lot but their eating habit is just as unbelievable! I've never seen anyone eat that much!" Richard exclaim and Liza laughed.

"A healthy appetite is a good thing Richard. Besides, I like cooking for people who appreciate the meals I make. It's also a large salary in our pockets" Liza pointed out and Richard nodded. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh, yeah. Shanks and his men left in a hurry a few minutes ago. He told me to give you his goodbye. They had a few errands to run suddenly. Though, I honestly think that there was something else behind all that" Richard skeptically stated and Liza's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"They got a call from the men on guard duty from the ship. Lucky and Yasopp answered and their cheerful faces immediately became serious. They told Shanks that they had to leave to check on the sails and they left. Check on the sails my ass" Richard grumbled out the last past.

"Yes, that does sound a bit suspicious but I'm sure everything's fine. If he needed us he'll say. Besides, he can't keep a secret from me too long" Liza smirked and Richard sweat dropped while chuckling at her statement.

"Who can?" Liza gave him a look and he held up his hands in defeat. "Anyway, that's not all I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you that I finally finished that song I was writing. I was hoping that you could read through it and make the needed adjustments." Richard pulled out his journal.

"Richie, I don't need to check up on your songs. You wrote most of the one's I sing so I'm sure that this one will be another hit." Liza said, her eyes traveling towards the book in his grasp before her eyes widened.

A bloodied journal.

"I know, I know, but I prefer it if you still gazed over it. You always see things from a different angle and you might find better lyrics or maybe a melody change somewhere." Richard said and looked up at Liza's wide and fear stricken eyes.

"What's-?""LIZA-SAN!" Aston's voice boomed and made their eyes snap towards the door of the kitchen. The youngster burst through the door, out of breath and his face was pale with wide eyes to add to his shocked expression.

"It's the Marines, they're on their way here!" Aston pronounced and their eyes widened. The marines were on their way?! That meant a lot of trouble! That meant both Shanks and Mihawk were in danger.

Liza's brows furrowed and a frown came onto her face. She pushed passed Aston and entered the bar, everyone's attention briefly shifting towards her. Most of the men were pirates and it would mean trouble if they were caught in her bar.

"Gentlemen, I thank you for your services but if you prefer not to be captured by the Navy exit around the back. There is a passageway to the sea. NOW!" She yelled when she saw none of them move and they were quick to escape her wrath.

Liza watched as they quickly scurried off, Richard already cleaning up and Aston was quick to follow him. They needed to clean up this place as soon as possible. If the marines arrived, all evidence of pirates needed to be gone. Also…

"Aston! Get me the Den Den Mushi. I need to contact Red Hair or any of his crew as soon as possible. I'll need to contact Mihawk as well. I'm sure neither of them would like to fight against the Navy today" Liza ordered and Aston pulled out a small transponder snail.

"Actually, Shanks-san already left because they were alerted by the ship guards. They excited as soon as possible and should be at their ship by now, hiding. As for Mihawk-san, you should probably call him. I don't know if he's still on the island or not" Aston informed and Liza nodded.

She took the transponder snail and was about to dial the numbers to call Mihawk before she realized something. She didn't have his number. She didn't even know where his ship was docked at or where he could be.

"Liza?"

Liza cursed and quickly handed Aston the transponder snail. "Keep cleaning up. I'll go look for Mihawk. Hopefully he left the island already" Liza said, a small pang in her chest. She secretly hoped that he didn't disappear off without another word.

She rushed out of her bar and then ran into the streets of the small town while looking around. She knew that she couldn't miss Mihawk anywhere. His dark handsome features with the large black sword sheathed on his back. He was hard to miss.

She could only hope that if she didn't find him that he was safe and away from the Marines. She hadn't seen him all day and she expected him to come to the bar but it seemed that he had other plans to keep himself away from the bar.

Was it because Shanks was there? Was it because he didn't want to come? She groaned at the raging questions in her head and ran a hand through her dark strands. Please let him be safe. She had a feeling that Shanks would escape quickly but Mihawk wasn't going to be so lucky.

"Damn, stupid, handsome, pirate, swordsman! How the hell am I going to find him before they get here? Argh!" She yelled out in frustration before yelping when she slammed into someone. She briefly lost her balance but she was quickly caught by a strong pair of arms.

It was a nostalgic feeling. A pair of golden orbs connected with her line of sight and she was momentarily frozen as she stared at him. In that moment she was lost in his intense gaze, his strong grip and the seductive smirk plastered on his lips.

"I do hope that I'm not the one who angered you but I appreciate the compliments you're unashamed of spouting" Mihawk husked and Liza huffed. She broke the embrace and glared up at him.

"You are. I've been looking for you! Don't think that you can ditch me when I offered you a free drink at my bar and get away with it!" She snapped, Mihawk only looking at her in amusement. He loved the way she got riled.

"Also! The marines are going to be here any minute and you're not very skilled or interested in hiding yourself. If they catch you, I'm not bailing you out of Impel Down" Liza crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him with a disapproving expression and Mihawk chuckled.

"I do appreciate your concern over me, Red Menace, but I can take care of myself." He husked and Liza refrained from swallowing thickly. "I'll cut everyone who gets in my way. I'm staying and not going anywhere. Not without you"

If the people didn't all start to yell out because of the marine's arrival, Liza would've stared at Mihawk without any reply. She would've stayed there caught by his golden gaze without giving him a peace of her mind but she didn't.

Liza let out a sigh and rubbed her eyes. "Alright, smooth talker, then you can hide back at my bar. Just be sure to do it discreetly or they'll find out you're there." She heard another shout and quickly hooked her arm in his pulling him along.

She occasionally glanced back and waited until she saw the marines come in view but saw none. They were probably still docking at the harbor. Her brows furrowed and she continued to walk through the crowd of people, Mihawk following her obediently.

She raised a curious eyebrow but said nothing. She could feel his gaze on her and the intensity made her a bit uncomfortable. She didn't like it when people stared predatorily at her like Mihawk was currently doing despite the heat that rushed through her body.

"Liza-san! You found him! Why is he here?" Aston's voice was the first to be heard when they entered the bar and Liza left Mihawk's arm. She quickly closed the door and made sure the sigh on the door said 'closed' for all to see.

"No time for answers, Aston. Take Mihawk up to my room and be quick. You" She pointed at Mihawk. "Stay there and don't go out until I come up. I'll sort out the marines" She ordered and Mihawk nodded.

Liza was about to reply but she was cut off by a chase kiss on her lips by Mihawk, catching her completely off guard. "Don't take all the fun" He said before he left without Aston, leaving Liza staring at his back with wide eyes. She wanted to say something but let out a deep sigh instead.

"Ugh… Men…!"

Richard blinked a few times as he stepped out of the kitchen after hearing Liza's frustrated yell. Liza looked back at him and he gave her a sympathetic look. All she wanted to do was make sure that no trouble was caused but with Mihawk and Shanks here, everything was complicated.

"Richie, give me a strong drink. I need to be prepared when the marines come here. I don't think I have enough alcohol in my system to talk to Garp right now" Liza said and Richard chuckled before he quickly poured her a mug of sake.

She was quick to gulp in down the second Richard served it and let out a sigh. It still wasn't enough but she decided to go against drinking another mug. She didn't even know if any amount of alcohol would be enough to talk to marines.

"You'll be just fine, Liza-chan. They usually only come here for a day or two before leaving. I'll make sure to contact Shanks to find out if they're safe and make sure Mihawk stays hidden. You don't have to worry about them" Richard said and Liza gave him a smile.

"Thanks, Richie, I appreciate that" Liza said before she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, her eyes darkening as a result. She glanced at the entrance of the bar, her instincts screaming at her. There was something dangerous approaching.

Marines came walking into her bar, the bell ringing as they did so and Liza felt immediately on the edge. It wasn't Garp, it was someone else entirely. It was a large male with dark features, raven colored hair and neatly groomed facial hair.

Liza scanned him suspiciously before her eyes glanced at the other marines behind him. They all looked more like gangsters than marine soldiers. On their hats were written G-6 and Liza quickly glanced at Richard.

He caught her look and saw the warning in her blue eyes making him nod. He was quick to go upstairs without saying another word. By the look Liza gave him, he knew that he would only get in the way of danger.

Richard honestly didn't like the look of the navy men that stepped inside the bar. It was the usual well-disciplined soldiers of Garp or even Garp himself. Why would the Navy send someone else rather than Garp? It didn't make sense. It was always Garp.

Until now.

"Can I help you?" Liza asked and the large male in front let out a displeased huff as he looked around at the bar, not impressed by what he saw. Liza didn't like him. She could tell only by looking at the malice rippling off his gaze. It only made her hand rest on the hilt of her dagger.

"I thought this place would be much more…extravagant but it's just another dump" A vein throbbed out of Liza's temple as she bit hard onto her teeth to keep her anger in check. "It's a fine place for scum like you anyway" He said and Liza growled audibly.

"Well, I do apologize that it displeases you. It would've cost me a fortune to make it to the liking of bastards like you." Liza snapped at him and he chuckled darkly at her. He walked towards the bar counter, his men messing with some of the furniture and even the piano but not sitting anywhere.

"You have some balls to take that tone with me, assassin scum. I'm much higher than you, you should use those lips for something much more suitable." He spoke up and Liza smirked, her eyes darkening more.

"At least I have balls" She said and he scowled at her. "But you're right. I wish I was high then your voice wouldn't be like an irritating ringing in my ears" The male briefly gave her a death glare before he smirked, making her face fall.

"I'm Vice Admiral Curtis Arwood"

"I don't care" Liza bluntly stated, her index finger trailing over the hilt of her dagger. "Now, tell me why they would send you instead of Garp? What do you want?" Liza quickly got to the point and the male's brows twitched in agitation.

"Let's just say they send me in for… _delicate_ matters" His men all snickered behind him and Liza resisted a thick swallow. She watched as he pulled something from his marine jacket and then put the papers in front of her.

Wanted posters… There were three wanted posters. One was Hades, the pain in her back awakening at the thought of him. The other two posters was of Shanks and Mihawk, both with much higher bounties than Hades.

"My sources tell me that all three of these Pirate Captains were here on this island. This one went missing not too long ago along with Red Hair Shanks and he returned along with Hawk-Eyes. According to my source, they're still on this island" Curtis said pointing at Hades at first.

"And? Your point is?" A vein throbbed out of his head.

"Where are they?" Curtis asked and Liza shrugged it off while giving each poster a bored look. "Don't play dumb with me, scum! I know that you know where they are! You were spotted alongside both of Red Hair Shanks and Hark-Eye Mihawk. I know you're their acquaintance!" He snapped.

Liza looked up at him, her face impassive. "Well, if you know so much why don't you go find them yourself?" He gritted his teeth in anger. "They drank at my bar before but I don't know where they are. I don't keep tabs on every dangerous pirate that enters my bar" Liza said and Curtis scoffed.

"Oh please, I know that you're much closer to them. You know where they are and you're going to tell me where they are. You don't want to mess with the navy, pirate." Curtis warned and Liza's eyes darkened drastically, a dark aura starting to seep out of her body.

"I'll only tell you this once. Do. Not. Threaten. Me. Again" She warned, her voice low and sending shivers down his men's spines. "I don't know where they are and if you break the arrangement I made with the Navy, I'll personally deliver your body to Garp"

Curtis, however, was unfazed and smirked in amusement. "Oh, but you already broke that arrangement, Red Menace" Liza's eyes briefly widened. She watched as Curtis took the poster of Hades and tore it up in front of her.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Liza said, her tone impassive with a hint of anger. She narrowed her eyes onto the male as he stood up. He left the posters as he walked back to the exit before turning back to Liza.

"I'll be back"

Liza watched as he exited with his men following and growled dangerously. She looked down at the wanted posters, her anger slowly fading away and she sat down. She stared at the torn picture of Hades and her brows furrowed.

Curtis knew he was dead and she had a feeling that he expected her of it. However, she wasn't the one to kill him, Aston was. But… If she said that Aston would immediately become wanted and be in danger.

She couldn't let that happen. Even if he was with her, she wouldn't let anything happen to him but she couldn't protect him from the Navy. She had a contract with them and not Aston. If they hunted him down as well, she wouldn't be able to fight against them.

No, if Aston was endangered, she had no choice to fight. Aston was still young and it wasn't his fault. Hades was going to die by Aston's hands or another. Aston saved her life and she was going to make sure she returned the favor.

Even if it meant she took the fall for him.

"Liza-chan…" Liza glanced up at Richard's voice and watched as concern gleamed through his eyes. He heard everything. "What are you going to do? They think you killed Hades" He softly whispered to make sure no one could hear even if they listened in.

Liza let out a sigh and crumbled up all of the wanted papers. She pulled out a lighter from underneath the bar counter and lit it up. She watched as it burnt into nothing but ash and then looked back at Richard.

"You know what I'm going to do, Richard. You know what we must do" Liza said and Richard's brows furrowed. "We'll wait this one out and see what happens. I doubt that Sengoku and Garp would let a fight break loose here."

"I hope your right, Liza-chan. I have a bad feeling about this" Richard stated and Liza nodded. She agreed. "You know that they think the contract is void now, right? You'll have to go on the run again…"

"I know, but rather me than him. I've been doing it most of my life I can't let it happen to him as well. But for now, let's not jump to conclusions. All we have to do is wait this thing out and then go from there. I doubt anything will happen" Liza said and Richard frowned.

"I hope you're right"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	35. Chapter 35

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 35**_

As nighttime fell, Liza decided to finally close up the bar. No one came in after the marines were there and she caught sight of a few soldiers patrolling around. She had an idea that business would be bad while the Navy was there.

She also noticed that some of the other townsfolks closed their shops early. They seemed to be threatened by the G-6's arrival and she was as well. It had been a while since she felt this threatened by mere marines. But they weren't mere marines.

Liza let out a sigh as she closed up the bar and then looked up at Richard who was cleaning up the bar counter. Aston already went upstairs towards his room to get some sleep and she figured that Mihawk went to sleep in the other open guest room.

"I'm heading to bed, Richie. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't stay up too late, okay?" Liza said and Richard smiled at her with a nod. They were waiting for customers the whole day and were both very tired.

"I promise I won't. Good Night, Liza-chan"

"Night" Liza murmured back while waving at him as she walking up the stairs. He chuckled at her tiredness and finished cleaning up. A strange ticking sound reached his ears and his brows furrowed. It was the first time he heard that.

He glanced around, looking for any type of source of the ticking. It only ticked about once a few minutes but it didn't stop. Finding nothing, he decided to head up to his own room to turn in the night.

Liza reached her room and tiredly pushed her door open. She expected it to be empty, void of any life until her blue eyes met a golden gaze. Mihawk sat at the chair of the desk, his jacket and his hat off as he stared out of the window.

"Mihawk… I thought you already went to sleep. Incase Aston didn't tell you, we have a spare room you can use across mine." Liza said while pointing out towards the door across the hall and Mihawk smirked.

"Yes, he did inform me but I was waiting for you to return. I see that the marine pests are patrolling around in town. They seem to be looking for trouble" Mihawk stated as he glanced out of the window again.

Liza sighed as she nodded. She pulled off her hat and put it on the cupboard next to her bed. She sat down and ran a hand through her hair. It was another long day and she had an idea that she had to deal with the marines again the next day.

"They are. They're looking for you" There was a tinge of amusement in her statement and Mihawk chuckled. "They expect an answer on your locations as well as another pirate that went missing a few days ago" Liza replied and Mihawk's brows furrowed.

"What will happen if you don't tell them?" Liza shrugged, not fazed by what they would do. She already had a good idea what would happen. They would either leave or start a fight that they were sure to lose.

"As long as I have a contract with them, they can't start anything. If they do, it's going to be quite the bloodbath. Sengoku and Garp know this so I doubt anything will happen" Liza said and Mihawk grunted.

"Ah, yes, your contract with the Navy. I heard about that though I'm not informed of all the details. I must say when I first found out that such a feared assassin like you would lay down and agree to a contract I was shocked" Mihawk stated and Liza raised an eyebrow while smirking.

"Well, it's not that shocking. Assassin's usually form contracts to kill our target" Liza pointed out and Mihawk smirked at her statement. "I didn't have much of a choice back then and I didn't want to return to the live of killing for money." Her voice was softer, her eyes gleaming a bit.

"I understand. I'm sorry to hear about your crew." Liza looked up at him and noticed the peculiar warmth in his golden eyes. "No one deserves to go through something painful as losing their comrades" Mihawk said and Liza gave him a small smile.

"There's no need to apologize but thank you. It took me a long time to make peace with the past but in the end I was able to, with a little bit of help of the Redhead. I don't regret what happened. If it wasn't for my crew, then I wouldn't have a second chance in pursuing my dream" She stated.

Mihawk's ears peeked at this and he raised an eyebrow. Shanks helped her to make peace with the death of her crew. It was something he didn't expect. He looked at her warm blue eyes and the fond way she spoke of him. She had feelings for him.

He felt a pang in his chest and mentally scolded himself for being jealous. He couldn't help it though and he was upset with himself. He couldn't be there when she was in trouble but was grateful that Shanks protected her.

Even so, she got hurt with Shanks there. Shaking off the angered thoughts as soon as he was reminded of her injuries. She was safe and alive. That's all that mattered to him. He blinked a few times and looked back up at her.

"Your dream?"

Liza looked up at him and realized that what she said. She didn't mean to mention her dream but it slipped out. It was just like the first time she met him. She felt that she could talk to him about anything and he wouldn't judge her for anything.

She knew that she could talk to Shanks about anything but she knew with Shanks there was a time and place. There were a few things that she felt like she didn't need to tell him but knew even if she did he would accept it without any hesitation.

Liza let out a sigh and a sad smile came onto her lips. How long has it been since she thought about the dream she had been chasing since she was but a little girl? She looked up at Mihawk as he stared at her with and intrigue expression.

"My dream? I guess it's something that I haven't thought about in a while now. My dream…or my wish if something that I've wanted since when I can remember. It's actually something very stupid" Liza lightly laughed at herself but Mihawk shook his head.

He went to sit down next to her, the intimacy between them making her body unconsciously warmed up. She looked up at him, her heart beating faster underneath his intense gaze but she was not backing away.

"A dream is not stupid. As long as you have a dream you have something to strive to, to live for. It's better than just aimlessly wandering the earth without any goal. As long as one dreams, one can conquer anything" Mihawk stated and Liza chuckled.

"I guess you're right. Moreover, since I know about your goal and your dream I should probably tell you mine. However, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. You'll be the only one who knows besides me." Liza warned and Mihawk nodded.

"Truth is I've always wanted…"

Mihawk's eyes widened as she continued to tell him about her dream, a sad gleam crossing though her eyes. That was…unexpected. From all the things he expected her to say this was not one of it. He was once again reminded how unpredictable Liza was.

As Liza talked, she unconsciously put a hand on her abdomen and even let out a small chuckle as she elaborated. Mihawk slowly smiled at her, something tugging in the back of his head that he briefly pushed back.

"That's it. Now you know what the fearful Red Menace wants. It's a bit pathetic right?" Liza softly murmured and averted her eyes towards the ground, her hand falling from her abdomen. Mihawk quickly frowned and gently grabbed her chin to make her look up at him.

"I don't think it's pathetic and you should never say that again. I think it's one of the best dreams that I've heard. Many people want wealth, fame and power but what you want is something pure. Just like I know you are" Mihawk said and Liza huffed.

"I'm everything but pure, Mihawk. I have this darkness within me that I cannot get rid of. It's even more a curse than my premonition. It's like another piece of me that I have yet to understand. Yet to control. I am everything but pure" Liza sadly stated and Mihawk smirked.

"That may be true but you still find a way to push it aside. That's part of your true beauty. A way to control your darkness in order to save those dear to you" Mihawk stated and Liza's eyes briefly widened. He sounded like he knew her better than she thought.

His lips gently brushed her soft ones before they kissed. Liza felt a familiar heat course through her body followed by her heart beating rapidly in her chest. The kiss quickly turned into a passionate battle of dominance.

His hand found her hip and pulled her closer on the bed. Her lips was sweet and he could taste the sweet ness with a tinge of alcohol. However, he couldn't get enough of her taste and made his body fill with want.

Liza's hands were immediately in his hair, pulling him closer and heat churning in her stomach. She wanted him. Badly. This kiss was much different than when she kissed Shanks. This one was filled with want, pure lust. It was passionate

However, when she kissed Shanks it was sincere and filled with another kind of warmth. Not an extreme want or lust but something else. It was strange and something Liza didn't expect to finally understand.

Mihawk gently lay Liza down on the bed and briefly broke the kiss to breathe again. His forehead touched hers and their eyes never left each other's gaze. He saw her blue eyes quiver slightly and stopped.

He immediately knew what that look meant and it made his heart give a small squeeze. He promised that he would come back to claim her after two years but now he understood. He was too late. Despite Liza not knowing it, her heart was already with another.

"Mihawk…"

"Liza… I-I should be going" Mihawk was about to sit up but Liza stopped him by grabbing him on his shoulders. He looked back at her, her blue eyes making him instantly stop moving. Her brows were furrowed with both concerned and confusion.

"Stay. Please" It was a small pled and Mihawk saw a peculiar emotion flash in her blue eyes. He stopped moving away and gave her a small nod. Liza sat up and sat beside him on the bed. Both enjoying the silence that surrounded them.

"Thank you"

"You don't have anything to thank me for. I should thank you. Just by being here and helping me. You gave me a reason to come back. You gave me a reason to fight" Mihawk said and Liza smiled leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"As long as you don't really fight, then I can live with that. No one should ever fight for me. I am more than capable to fight for myself." Liza said and Mihawk glanced at her, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"Yes, but you should learn not to take everything on yourself. I want to have fun as well" Mihawk replied and Liza laughed. Of course he wanted some of the fun to himself as well. Not that anyone could prove to amuse him with his monstrous strength.

Liza briefly glanced at him before looking down at her lap. She didn't know why Mihawk stopped but she was thankful. She knew that he promised to come back for her and that it may lead to more than a kiss but she still didn't do one night stands.

They sat there the rest of the night in further silence and merely enjoyed each other's presences. Liza could feel exhaustion finally catch up with her and fell asleep on Mihawk's shoulder. For once, she wasn't plagued with nightmares and her body and mind was able to finally rest.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	36. Chapter 36

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 36**_

 ** _Two days later…_**

Two long days passed without the Marines leaving the island. Each day they came in and tried to force Liza to reveal the destination of Shanks and Mihawk but she never gave them what they wanted.

Each time, Curtis tried to threaten her with something new but it failed every time. He grew frustrated and marched out of the bar. Since then there wasn't any sign of the marines again and things seemed to change back to normal.

During that time, Liza trained Aston and helped him develop his Devil Fruit's powers. It wasn't difficult since he understood what he needed to do when he activated it and using his powers from there was easier than thought.

Liza watched as Aston changed his body into iron instantly and a smirk came onto her lips. She twirled a few iron spikes in-between her fingers and chucked them at Aston. He stood still and hardened his iron skin even more.

The iron spikes bent against his hardened skin and fell to the ground. Aston turned back to normal and grinned in victory. He gained no damage from the iron spikes and Liza had to say she was impressed. He could harden himself even more in only two days.

"I did it!" Aston cheered and Liza laughed at the male as he did his little victory dance. She shook her head ta the male and was briefly relieved that they were in an open area where no one else was so see his embarrassing dance.

"Alright, that's enough dancing…forever" Liza said and cleared her throat to prevent her from laughing at his expression. "Well done, Aston, but you still have a lot of training to do to become stronger"

"Yeah, I understand. I'm just glad that I managed to get the hand of using my powers. No one really showed me how to use them and I could only control it on an impulse" Aston stated and Liza gave him a small smile.

"That's why I'm here! Now, I have one thing left to tell you before we stop with your power training and continue with muscle building." Aston's eyes lit up and Liza chuckled. "It's going to be more hell than training your powers. Believe me" She said and Aston sweat dropped while paling slightly.

Liza pulled out her dagger and Aston blinked a few times in confusion. He watched as Liza twirled it between her fingers and swallowed thickly. Whatever Liza was planning, it wasn't going to be something good.

"Your last step is to bend this steel tip" Liza pointed at the tip of her dagger's blade and Aston looked at her with a baffled expression. She wanted him to bent steel? How was that possible? He only had iron powers.

"Uh… I don't think I quite understand what you're saying, Liza-san. I can only manipulate iron. Any steel weapon is useless to me" Aston said but Liza shook her head. She trailed her finger over the blade of her dagger.

"Wrong. You did it once before" Aston's brows furrowed. "What do you think Hades' sword was made of? Iron? Wrong. It was made of steel and you bent it to your will making it impale him." Liza stated and Aston's eyes briefly widened before he looked down at the palm of his hands.

"I-I don't understand…"

"You can manipulate steel but only to an extent. When steel is made, iron ore is added as well as carbon. If you can control the iron ore inside steel, you should be able to control the object to do a simple task. Such as a sword stabbing the wielder himself" Liza explained and Aston sighed.

"Don't worry about the explanation that much. All you have to do is manipulate this blade of my dagger. Try it" Liza told him and Aston nodded. He held out the palm of his hand and his eyes locked onto the tip of the dagger.

His eyes narrowed onto the steel tip and he gritted his teeth. A green glow surrounded his arm and the palm of his hand as he activated his powers. Liza watched the blade briefly ripple like water before it stood solid again.

Aston groaned and let his shoulder slump. It was more exhausting than he thought but he couldn't even make the blade move an inch! How was he able to control Hades' sword? He couldn't remember!

"Try again" Liza ordered, her tone serious and Aston nodded. He stood the same pose once again and glared at the steel blade. He could do it! He had to. He had to master this and become stronger. That was his ultimate goal.

The blade started to ripple more on the hilt and Liza's blue eyes gleamed. She watched as the blade suddenly grew and flew up. It flowed towards Aston like water and Liza was astounded by the way the blade stretched.

A small trail of sweat fell from the side of Aston's face and he let out a shaky breath. The tip was almost at the palm of his hand. As soon as it touched his skin, it shot back to its original position while Aston staggered backwards before falling into a sitting position.

Liza was quick to sheathe her dagger before smirking at Aston. He could barely hold himself up from using too much power. She walked towards him and held out her hand. Aston gave her a grateful smile and just as their fingers brushed, she pulled back her hand making him fall back on the ground.

"Get up! We're heading back to the bar! We can't train the whole day or lay and recover" Liza stated, a teasing smirk plastered on her features and Aston gave her a playful glare. She knew he was exhausted but she never took it easy on him.

"I'm coming! Just…give me a minute!" Aston rasped as he quickly tried to stand up and ran after Liza until he was beside her. He looked up at her and smiled when he saw her mischief smirk plastered on her lips.

"So, Liza-san… Do you think the navy left? I haven't seen them since this morning when that Curtis guy burst out of the bar. You must've really pissed him off badly for him to get that angry" Aston stated and Liza's smirk widened.

"Yes, I have that talent" Aston lightly laughed at her words. "I don't know but I think he left. I haven't seen him as well and I hope that they took their ships back to where they belong. No marine should ever step foot on this island since it's filled with pirates" Liza said and Aston nodded.

They walked through the calm streets of the town while watching as people enjoyed the calmness. They were relieved that the marines hadn't shown up again but even they knew that they couldn't get too comfortable until they knew they sailed away.

Luckily, the bar wasn't too far away from the training area and soon, Liza stepped inside Aston following. Aston slightly dragged his feet, still a bit tired from using his Devil's Fruit powers but he was glad that he managed to control most of it.

"Oh, Liza-chan! You're back!" Richard greeted while waving at her while standing behind the bar counter. "I thought you would be gone longer but I can see that Aston won't be able to train longer. What did you do to exhaust the poor boy like that?"

Liza chuckled and crossed her arms. "Not much. He just learned that he can use his powers for something else as well. I'm actually very proud. He's very close to the awakening stage. I never thought that I would see anyone capable of doing that" Liza replied and Richard's eyes widened.

"That's…impressive" He murmured out as he looked at Aston who sat down in his own confusion at Liza's words. Richard had never met any paramecia user that could awaken their powers and only a very few knew of this ability.

"Awakening? What's that?"

"Awakening is another stage of the paramecia fruit that I've only seen once in my lifetime but where I traveled I hear a lot. When your devil's fruit power is awakened, you can start to affect the environment, transmuting anything around you into iron" Liza explained making Aston groan.

"What Liza-chan is trying to say is that instead of only you turning into iron, you can turn other things like weapons, chairs and even the ground into iron" Richard simplified and Aston nodded, finally understanding what Liza actually meant.

"Very funny. You understand when he explains it but when I explain it, it goes right over the top of your head. You seem to keep forgetting that I'm the one who trains you" Liza narrowed her eyes at Aston and he immediately paled. Next training session was probably going to be hell.

"You have a way of overcomplicating a simple explanation sometimes. Besides, he's a kid. I doubt that he even knows what 'transmuting' means" Richard said and Aston pouted while giving Richard a glare.

"Hey! I know what it means!" Aston exclaimed and received two disbelieving looks. "Alright…fine… I don't know what it means…but I can figure it out by listening to it in a sentence!" Liza shook her head and Richard chuckled.

The doorbell suddenly rang behind them and they turned to glance at the entrance where Benn, Lucky as well as Yasopp came in. Liza could tell by their expressions that they needed a drink and that something must've happened.

"You know… It's not entirely safe to roam the streets yet. We don't know if the marines are gone yet and they're after you guys." Liza pointed out as she turned around to face them and Benn chuckled, smoke coming out of his exhale.

"We made sure to hide ourselves well but we haven't heard any news either. I think they're gone but either way it won't matter anymore. Despite us hiding, Boss would already expose us" Yasopp said with a sigh, a small smirk tugging at his lips while Liza raised an eyebrow.

"Besides, a fight with the marines would keep us busy for an hour or so. I doubt they brought enough to even be a challenge for us. All I saw was one warship" Lucky spoke up and Benn nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I understand that you can handle yourself more than needed but there's one thing you lost me on. What do you mean Red Hair would already expose you? What did he do now?" Liza asked with a groan in her voice.

She hoped he didn't do anything stupid and that he stayed hidden for another day or so. At least Mihawk was quiet up in his spare room. He hadn't come out since this morning when she greeted him before she went to train Aston.

Aston gave Richard a wave as he went upstairs, the male chuckling at the younger's tiredness. Liza must've not gone easy on him. However, ever since his training begin, Liza didn't take it easy on him. She knew that hard training would only help him grow stronger.

The three pirates glanced at each other in uncertainty and Liza's brow twitched. They knew something was going on. They stared at each other as if mentally arguing who was going to spill the beans before Benn let out a sigh.

"Fine… Liza, you're not going to like this and I recommend you don't overreact when I explain the situation to you" Benn started and his words already made Liza angry. Overreact? Of course she was going to overreact if he didn't tell her what was going on!

"Shanks and Mihawk… They're fighting"

Liza's eyes widened and the vision of two swords clashing suddenly flashed in her mind. They were fighting?! What did they think they were doing?! She told each of them not to fight and yet there they go.

"Why are they fighting? Is it another match to see who's stronger like they did before?" Richard asked not understanding the situation fully. He glanced down at Liza and saw her anger flare, her blue eyes slowly darkening.

"No, Boss is dead serious and Hawk-Eyes too. They're determined to find out who is better by battling it out." Benn looked down at Liza, his brows furrowing. "They're determined to win over Liza" He finished and Liza gritted her teeth.

She was livid.

"Liza-san! Liza-san!" Aston rushed down the stairs with panic in his eyes. "Mihawk-san isn't in his room anymore! He's gone!" Aston exclaimed and that was the last straw for Liza. The bar counter behind her cracked without her even touching it.

"They're dead" Her voice was low and dangerous and everyone felt shivers run down their spines. Liza stormed out of the bar without anyone even trying to stop her, not wanting to be in the way of her wrath.

"You might want to follow her before there's even more trouble or in case she actually kills one of them" Richard warned and their eyes widened. The three pirates scurried off, believing that Liza was capable of doing something like that.

"I haven't seen her that angry in a while…"

Richard looked at Aston's shocked and fearful expression before pointing at the door. "Go, make sure she comes back in one piece. I'll handle everything here" Richard ordered and Aston briefly looked at Richard before he nodded.

Richard watched as the young male ran out of the bar and let out a deep sigh. Just as things started to calm down, there was drama. He figured that Liza was going to lecture both of the pirates and that she was going to be angry for a _long_ time.

* * *

 ** _Out in the open field…_**

Swords frantically crashed, two figures moving faster than the normal eye can see. It was an incredible battle of haki, determination and mostly, pride. Neither of them were going to back down on the fight.

Mihawk fought to regain his injured pride. Liza had chosen Shanks above him and not only was he angry at himself but also at Shanks. He was going to win and regain her heart again, no matter the cost.

Shanks, however, fought for his love towards Liza. He wasn't going to let another male take her away from him and he wasn't going to lose her, ever. He promised her that he was going to fight for her and he was going to win.

As their swords clashed and their concentration never shifted from another as Liza's dark presence spiraled near them. They broke apart, both glaring at each other before charging at full speed, their sword pulled back.

However, right before their swords clashed a figure appeared in-between them and blocked the onslaught. A large shockwave exploded from their area. A familiar dagger and another blade blocked the two swords from touching, the power making them quiver slightly.

Shanks and Mihawk's eyes were wide at the person's sudden appearance and were speechless. Dark blue eyes glared at them and white teeth grinded on each other as anger spiraled through Liza's body.

"What do you think you're doing?!" She roared and pushed them back with her hands. She then twirled and kicked Shanks in the stomach while punching Mihawk in his abdomen, sending them staggering back.

"Liza-!""Drop your weapons…" Liza cut both of them off, her voice low and dangerous. "I said, DROP THEM!" Shanks and Mihawk took a retreating step back before complying with her order. They both sheathed their swords, their eyes not leaving her figure.

"Liza, do you know how dangerous that was cutting in the middle of our fight?! We could've killed you!" Shanks exclaimed and Mihawk agreed with him telling her that it was reckless but Liza could barely hear their warnings.

"I was reckless? _I_ was reckless? Do you two imbeciles realize what you're doing?! The Navy is after both of your skins but you don't care! You just decided to fight anyway! I saved your asses more than enough times! I'm not risking my life for you any longer!" Liza yelled, glaring at them.

"You don't understand. We had to do this-?"

"What? To see who more worthy of me is?" Liza snapped, her tone venomous. "How immature! I'm not some prize to be won in a tournament! You two are both fools! You want to know who I want?! Not one of you! I refuse to be part of this quarrel any longer! I'm done!"

Her dangerous aura exploded around her and pushed them back. Liza breathed heavy, anger still within her veins while her dark hair fell down her back again after the explosion. She was done. She wasn't going to play any games.

Aston stood alongside Benn, Lucky and Yasopp while watching the entire scene unfold and at one stadium Benn's cigarette even fell from his mouth. Never in his travels did he see such a dark presence from anyone or that it could push Shanks or Mihawk back by mere force.

Liza glowered at both of them before she sheathed her dagger and blade. She started to walk away, ignoring the calls from the men behind her. She felt a painful pang in her chest and her blue eyes dimmed a bit in color.

She felt angered, disappointed, hurt. Name the negative emotion and she felt it. She couldn't believe that they would actually fight over her. That meant the first part of her vision was true but maybe she was able to prevent the second part. Unfortunately she didn't know if she did.

"Liza-san…" Aston trailed off, his voice soft and sympathetic but she didn't have time for any form of sympathy. She needed a drink, a smoke and maybe even a few punching bags to calm herself down. She just wanted to escape the pain and anger.

"Well, well, well, would you look who it is"

Liza's eyes widened at the voice and her body went rigid. Everyone was immediately alert and Aston was quick to join Liza's side as she turned around to face a very familiar male. This was bad. It was very _very_ bad.

"You know, I honestly thought that I wouldn't get any answer from you but in the end I got so much more! You led me right to the men I was looking for all along. You have my gratitude, Red Menace" Curtis spoke up and Liza cursed under her breath

They were in trouble.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	37. Chapter 37

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _Please enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 37**_

They were in trouble.

Liza glared at the Vice-Admiral that stood in front of her, knowing very well that there was no escaping the situation. She was still livid at Mihawk and Shanks but she was not going to let the big idiot standing in front of her taking them in. She was the one who was going to kill them.

"What's with the threatening looks? I thought you'd be glad to see me again! After all, you should've known that I'm not a man that give up. I always get what I want" Curtis stated and Liza smirked at him.

"Yes, you're also someone who doesn't know how to shut up. Women don't like men like that. No wonder you're going to die alone" Liza pointed out and received a glare from Curtis. His men made a move to attack but he quickly stopped them with the rise of his hand.

"I'll make this offer simple. You hand over the Red Hair Shanks and Hawk Eyes Mihawk as well as yourself. When you do, we'll leave peacefully and no one will get hurt. That includes the townsfolk" Curtis added and Liza gritted her teeth.

"You're a despicable man!" He smirked as if it was a compliment. "Good luck in getting those two to go with you peacefully. I can't even control them. Also, I'm not going anywhere especially with scum like you. I committed no crime and the contract is still valid" Liza said and Curtis burst out laughing.

The men beside her glared at the male for laughing and had their hands on their weapons. They were ready for anything that could happen and already eyed their targets behind the Vice-Admiral. If they wanted a fight, they'll get one.

"Committed no crime? The contract is still valid? Ha! The contract was broken as soon as you killed Hades Easton, worth 200 million beli! You do remember, right? You'll live your pathetic 'free' life as long as you don't kill anyone but the temptation was too great" Curtis mocked and Liza frowned.

Aston's eyes widened as he looked down at Liza. She was being accused for killing Hades? But that was preposterous! He was the one who killed him! It was his duty to take the blame and he didn't want to put Liza in any sort of danger.

"No, I was-""Yes, it's true" The men behind Liza looked at her in disbelief and shock. "I was the one who killed Hades after he kidnapped me. He deserved it and I don't regret ridding this earth of his pathetic existence" Liza admitted, her face impassive and Curtis' smirk growing.

"No" Shanks' voice spoke up from behind Liza and everyone looked at him. "It was me who killed Hades. He attacked my ship and my comrades and paid for it with his life." Liza's eyes briefly widened along with Aston's.

They were defending him.

Curtis huffed and was about to say something until Mihawk stepped beside Liza. "I appreciate your little lie, Red Hair, but we all know that I was the one to slay Hades. He was a pathetic fool who dared to challenge my skills" Mihawk stated stoically and Curtis' brows furrowed.

"Actually, I was the one who had the pleasure of killing that bastard" Benn said as he lit up his cigarette and smirked back at Curtis. "He had the best screams and so did his crew. They were all weak"

Liza watched as everyone stood beside her, Aston protectively behind her biting his bottom lip. They were all prepared to lie their lives on the line for her and Aston. She not only admired them for that but appreciated it.

Aston stood behind them, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. They were all protecting him even if it meant with their lives. Why were they doing all this? They knew that there was going to be a fight and that their lives were in danger.

"Enough!" Curtis yelled and pointed at Liza. "I know very well when someone is protecting another! I don't care who killed him, you're either coming with me or dying! But since I'm merciful, I'll just destroy everything you have and then take you with me" He smirked evilly.

"Liza's not going anywhere and if you threaten her life again, you'll have to deal with us" Shanks threatened, his own voice low and dangerous. His three men stood beside him, their glares filled with malice.

"You'll wish you were never born, worthless scum. I'll cut you even if it means through all of your pathetically weak followers." Mihawk growled and Curtis gritted his teeth. Liza smirked and gave Curtis a challenging look.

"You were saying?"

Curtis growled loudly and turned back to his men. "Attack! Don't hold back! Kill every single one of them!" He ordered and his men all let out cried before attacking, only a hand full of them having weapons.

"That's their army? Is that the best he could do?" Yasopp asked before seeing a smirk form onto Curtis' lips. A large wave of men came in from behind, all with weapons ready and charging at full strength.

"You just had to ask" Yasopp gave them an innocent look and they all sighed with a chuckle. "Benn, make sure you contact the men. We're going to need some backup and I don't want to have all the fun" Shanks said as he pulled out his sword, everyone preparing for the fight.

"They heard everything, Boss. They should be here in a few minutes but until then…" He pulled out his large gun. "Let's have some fun, shall we?" He said before he started to shoot the marines that attacked.

"Aston, stay by my side at all times. Try to immobilize as many marines as you can and use your devil's Fruit. This is just another training exercise" Liza stated while glancing back at Aston and he nodded.

"Don't take out too much. I want a piece of them as well" Mihawk spoke up next to Liza and she laughed feeling adrenaline soar through her veins. She pulled out her blade and her dagger, smirking at the men.

"Then try to keep up!"

They all watched in amazement as Liza jumped right into the group of marines, cutting all the vital points on their limbs and joints in a flash. The group fell onto the ground, unconscious before she rushed to the next.

"What a woman…" Shanks and Mihawk spoke up simultaneously before glaring at each other. As soon as they broke each other's gaze, they entered the battlefield. Shanks let many men drop at the mere presence of his haki while Mihawk cut down dozens by one swing of his sword.

Aston turned into solid iron and was able to protect him from receiving any possible bullet wound. He knocked out most the marines by hitting them with his hardened skin and grabbed one of the dropped guns before he shot at them.

Benn was behind him and started hitting the marines with his large rifle, not wasting any bullets on them. They all flew back at the force of his swing and he grinned widely as he enjoyed taking them out.

"You're enjoying this a little too much don't you think, Benn?" Aston asked and threw the male with the empty gun before he head butted him. He managed to dodge an oncoming attack, slammed his knee in the marine's gut and kicked him away.

"Well, it's been a while since we could really let loose" Benn grunted as he hit another pair of marine men and Aston chuckled. In another area, Lucky Roo and Yssopp shot down all the men they came across, Yasopp making sure he didn't miss any target.

He saw a male appearing behind Liza as she cut the male in front of her and shot the marine right in the head. Liza stood up after she cut the male in front of her and looked back at Yasopp who gave her a mocking smirk.

"You're welcome" Liza gave him a stoic expression as she suddenly stabbed the next male that attacked her and chucked her blade in Yasopp's direction. It hit a male that had a gun to Yasopp's head in his left shoulder and he fell onto the ground.

"My pleasure" Liza smirked back at him and Yasopp chuckled in amusement. It wasn't long after that when the rest of the Red Hair crew came and almost outnumbered the crowd of marines. They were completely overwhelmed by the pirates.

Liza's blue eyes locked onto Curtis' eyes as he stood in the middle of the battle field injuring some of the pirates. He smirked at Liza and her face turned stoic. She pulled out her dagger from one of the limbs of an unconscious marine soldier before vanishing.

She appeared in front of Curtis and he was barely able to block the strong attack. He was pushed back by her strength and staggered back a bit off balanced. He twirled his sword in his hand before looking back at her, a smirk still plastered on his lips.

"You honestly think that you can win this fight, Bloodmoore?! You're going to lose, miserably, and then you're going to be locked up until you're finally executed. Your friends won't be able to save you!" Curtis exclaimed and Liza huffed as she smirked.

"That's where you're wrong, Curtis" His face fell. "I'm never alone and I know that my friends don't have to save me. However, I wouldn't count them out just yet. They're cutting through your men like butter" Liza said and his eyes widened as he realized she was right.

He looked at the battlefield and saw the pirates gain the advantage. Shanks and Mihawk almost seemed to compete in who cut down the most opponents and the Red Hair pirates followed. They were at the disadvantage.

"Do you see now, Curtis? You lost this fight and there's nothing you can do about it. You can't prove who killed Hades and because you started this fight I'm sure Garp will give you a well-deserved beating" Liza stated and Curtis snickered.

"I don't think so! Even if you didn't kill Hades, you still killed countless of marine soldiers which mean that the contract is now officially broken!" Curtis pointed out and Liza gave him a bored look, not fazed at his words in the least.

"I didn't kill anyone. All of your men I cut down are still very alive. All I did was weaken and immobilize them" Liza replied and Curtis' eyes widened. He glanced at the ground and saw the men all moaning in pain. They were still alive.

He looked back at Liza, the only weapon she held was her dagger that dripped with the blood of the men she cut down. She planned all of this out. She knew that even if she were to fight that he wanted her to kill his men.

He would be able to prove that she killed someone and break the contract but she was too smart. She managed to overrule his thinking and merely immobilized his men. How did she know that was his plan?

"It's over, Curtis. Surrender and stop this bloodbath. I may not kill your men but I cannot stop them from killing them. This is unnecessary bloodshed" Liza stated and Curtis growled. He attacked her with a cry and Liza took a step back in a stance.

"Unnecessary bloodshed? Are those words coming from an assassin or a weakling?!" Curtis swung his sword at her but Liza lazily dodged all of his attacks, never initiating any counter. She briefly blocked a strike to her head and threw him back.

"You don't know the value of these lives here. Every life taken is causing pain towards their loved ones. Not only that but it means that your armies grow weaker. A wise Vice-Admiral would've retreated before the battle started" Liza answered and Curtis laughed maniacally.

"Then I guess that I'm not a wise man!" He thrust his sword towards her and Liza stepped to the side. Curtis' eyes widened as he was thrown off balance before Liza took her own step back, holding her dagger out towards him.

"What is it that you want to gain here, Curtis? Shanks or Mihawk? No. Me as a prisoner? No. You want this fighting. You crave it. You crave destruction. In the end all you'll receive is your own demise" Liza stated and gave him an almost sympathetic look making him snarl at her.

"What I want is for you to be destroyed! I was sent here to kill the only threat that lay down while waiting. The only way I can wipe you out is by killing everything you love dearly" As Curtis finished a large explosion came from the near part of the town near them and Liza's eyes widened.

"NO! You monster! You're killing innocent lives now?! How dare you!" Liza attacked him with her risen anger and he was barely able to block her onslaught. He laughed as she continued until they heard another explosion, this time from the Navy ship that attacked the town.

Their attention was drawn by the large ship of the Red Hair pirates as they attacked the large warship and Liza smirked. She glanced back at Shanks who gave her a wink and she chuckled before looking back at Curtis.

"It looks like you have some justice coming your way, asshole!" Liza slammed her knee in his stomach before she elbowed him in his face. He yelled out in pain and fell back while holding his broken nose.

"You wench!" Liza watched in amusement as he reset his own nose. He then glared back at her, a smirk still forming on his lips as he did so. "Don't you think that I would have a backup plan if they attacked my ship?" He asked and Liza scowled at the male.

"What will you gain by killing innocent people?"

"Probably nothing" Liza grabbed him by his collar and pulled him off his feet. "However, I'm not aiming for the innocent people. I actually have my eye on one little wooden building not too far from here" He said and Liza's eyes widened as realization washed over her.

Swords clashing. Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

It all suddenly made sense! Liza let go of Curtis and stumbled back, her body shaking from shock and angst. They were aiming for the bar! She looked back at the men, they were all busy fighting and she was the only one who knew what his plan was.

"Richie! No!" Liza darted off cutting through all of the men that came in her way. She tried to run faster and her legs was quick to pick up their speed. She could hear the cries of Aston as well as Shanks but didn't look back.

"You're too late!" She faintly heard Curtis yell from behind her and she gritted her teeth. No, she refused to be too late. She wasn't going to be too late! She was going to save Richard before they blew up the bar!

Liza felt angry with herself beneath all the panic that rose in her system. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest and her chest felt dry from heaving. Her arms was getting tired of cutting the men in her momentum but was lucky to enter the town soon after.

How could she not see the signs before? She knew that both Mihawk and Shanks would fight and that something was going to happen after all that. Then the journal of Richard that showed in her vision, the burning wood of the bar and the grave.

Oh no, the grave.

"Richard! Richard! You have to get out of there!" Liza yelled despite knowing that she was still quite a distance away. The people around her quickly backed away from her rushing figure and stared at her with confused expressions.

She couldn't lose him! She had to hurry before it was too late! She needed to save him before he was killed! This is what Curtis wanted all along. He wanted to distracted her long enough to have someone infiltrate the town to kill Richard and burn down the bar.

How could she be so blind?! She felt so angry with herself and it helped her run even faster. Her legs started to give in but she pushed through the exhaustion. Her lungs burned and her throat was dry but she pushed through.

"Richard! Richard! Get out of there!" Liza yelled as soon as the bar came into view and she felt relief was over her. The building still stood without any signs of damage. That meant Richard had to still be fine.

"RICHARD! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE! THEY'RE GOING TO BLOW UP THE BAR! RICHARD!" Liza yelled at the top of her lungs as she approached the building. The people near her heard her and quickly scattered away from the building.

As Liza neared the building, being only a few steps away, she took another breath. He had to hear her and she had to hurry up. She didn't know if there was another warship aiming for them or how long the Red Hair pirates could keep the other one occupied.

"RICH-"

A large explosion erupted from the wooden building and Liza was cut off. She was thrown back by the force and crashed into the ground. She yelled out in pain when the flames licked her skin and looked at the damage through her blurry blue eyes.

The building exploded with Richard in it.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	38. Chapter 38

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* I apologize for not posting for a while. This is a very intense Chapter so if you're sensitive to gore scenes, please skip through the last bit. Thank you and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 38**_

 **A few minutes earlier…**

Richard sat in the empty bar behind the counter while reading through his journal. He occasionally changed something with the pen he held but was quiet. No one came to the bar and it stayed void of any customers.

It was strange and he could feel a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He had a feeling that it meant the Navy was still there and hoped that Liza could stop the two pirates' fighting before anything bad happened.

He didn't want another war to break out but he didn't want another fight to break out without him being there to help. He knew that Liza was very angry and that she could wipe anyone easily out. However, it would mean that she violated the contract.

He knew that she wanted to protect Aston and he agreed with her decision despite worrying about the consequences. He knew that Liza would go on the run again and he didn't want that to happen. He didn't want her to leave.

Their life was here where they lived in the bar. This was their home and it was better than any place he had when he was a shipwright. He was always forced to travel around with pirates and even marines but here he was stable.

He had a place to call home.

Someone walked to the front of the bar and Richard's eyes glanced up at the male. He was a marine. It didn't look like Curtis and Richard assumed that he was bringing a message for Liza. Too bad that she wasn't here to have him a mouthful.

"Welcome to 'Dine and Dash'" Richard spoke up as he watched with a bored expression as the marine walked in while looking around. His one hand was inside his blazer as if he was looking for something.

"With what can I help you?" Richard asked, his brows slowly furrowing when the man didn't reply. He kept looking around frantically as if in trouble. Richard closed his journal and stood up. This marine didn't look fine at all.

The marine stopped fidgeting and gave Richard a menacing smirk making Richard's eyes widen. The male pulled out a small pistol and before Richard could react, he was shot in his left shoulder making him cry out.

"Yes, you can die for me"

Richard fell behind the counter and sat against the wood as another assault of bullets was sent his way. Richard gritted his teeth while holding the wound and felt the blood on his hand. He had to get rid of the marine and quickly.

He glanced beneath the counter and grabbed the gun attached to the wood. He waited until he heard the marine pull an empty trigger and moved out from the counter, standing on his knees as he aimed for the male.

"Not today, scum!" Richard shot the marine square in the chest making the male stumble backwards. Blood started to run from his mouth as he coughed and then suddenly pulled out a round object.

"It's a present from the World Government. See you in hell" The male gave Richard a bloody grin before taking out the pin of the bomb. His body hit the ground and the bomb fell beside him, ticking frantically.

"Shit!" Richard could barely move but managed to stumble towards the bomb. He had to throw it out as fast as possible. He grabbed the bomb and shakily stood up, the last few ticks of the bomb in his grasp before he realized…there was nothing he could do.

"RICHARD! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE! THEY'RE GOING TO BLOW UP THE BAR! RICHARD!"

Richard glanced out of the bar window and a sad smile came onto his lips as everything slowed down. He let the grenade fall from his grasp and held his bleeding shoulder. It was already too late to save him.

"Liza-chan…"

A large explosion erupted from the wooden building. She was thrown back by the force and crashed into the ground. She yelled out in pain when the flames licked her skin and looked at the damage through her blurry blue eyes. The building exploded with Richard in it.

Liza's ears had an irritating ringing in them that muffled all of the outside screams and cries. She could barely hear her own breathing. She coughed loudly and her body briefly shook from the force before she pushed herself onto her knees.

 _Richard…_ Liza gritted her teeth as she forced herself to stand up through the pain of the crash. Her vision blurred and her body reluctantly moved forward. She took shaky steps, her thoughts in a haze as she approached the burning wood of the bar.

"R-Richie!" She rasped out, her throat sore and dry. She stumbled a bit to the side before stepping onto the burning wood. She ignored the pain of the heat and continued to look for the male, her blue eyes quivering with panic.

"Richard! W-Where are you! Answer me!" She coughed a bit form the smoke that invaded her lungs before she looked around again. She couldn't find him. He had to be there. No, maybe he managed to escape beforehand. Maybe he went out to buy something when the bar exploded.

She heard a cough and her body suddenly went cold. She could feel dread wash through her veins and panic made her body shudder. She glanced to her side before her blue eyes widened in horror at Richard's burnt body.

"Richard! Richard! Can you hear me! Answer me!" Liza ran towards him and dropped onto her knees. She gently held him and he let out a fit of coughs. "Richard! Stay with me! Come on!" She yelled and watched as he slowly opened his eyes, relief briefly washing over him.

"L-Liza-c-chan?"

"I'm here! I'm right here, Richie. I'm not going anywhere until we get you some medical attention." Liza gently said as he looked over Richard's badly burnt body, his left side almost burnt to nothing and he had wood sticking out of his leg flesh.

"S-Sorry... T-They c-caught m-me off guard. S-sorry a-about the bar" Richard rasped before he coughed up blood to his side. Liza's hand shook as she felt her hands being covered in blood and despair washed over her.

Not again!

"I-It's nothing! W-We'll just build another one! This one will be much bigger and better. You'll see" Liza found that tears involuntarily formed in the corner of her eyes and panic washed over her. This couldn't be happening.

"Y-You c-can p-perform t-that song then t-too. I-I c-change-ed i-it again" He tried to laugh but almost ended up choking. He watched as Liza started to become quiet, tears starting to fall from her eyes and pain flashed in her eyes.

"I-I'll sing it with you! I promise!" Liza cursed as more tears fell and she felt her body shake. "I-I'm so so sorry, Richie. I should've known! I should've understood my vision earlier but I- I didn't! It's all my fault" She let her head fall onto his half bloodied chest and Richard gave her a weak smile.

"I-It's not y-your fault. N-Now you can b-be free again" Liza's head shot up and she looked at him in confusion. "T-The bar was the only t-thing that k-kept you here. N-Now you can s-sail once again. N-Nothing will hold you b-back now" He stated but Liza shook her head rapidly.

"I'm not going anywhere without you! Not you, not Aston, not any of those other pirate idiots! You're not leaving me behind, Richard! I won't have it, you hear me?! You're staying right here until I can fix you up! You hear me?!" Liza yelled angrily at him but it was dimmed by all her tears.

Richard chuckled dryly and put his hand on her cheek making her eyes briefly widen. More tears started to flow and she held onto his hand on her cheek. No, she couldn't lose him! She couldn't possibly lose him! He meant too much for her. He was her best friend. He was family.

"I-I refuse to lose you…"

"Y-You won'" Richard started, his voice drifting off slightly. "I'll always be beside you and watch over you. I'll be there with you and haunt Aston until he gets rid of his clumsiness" Liza wanted to laugh but the pain in her chest was too great.

"P-Please d-don't cry, Liza-san" Richard begged as his own tears started to fall from his own eyes. "You g-gave me the best years o-of my l-life and I'll always be in your debt. J-Just do one last thing for me, please" Liza looked at him, sobbing softly.

"Keep an eye o-out f-for Aston. H-He needs you more than y-you think. R-Remember t-that no one really d-dies as long as y-you remember m-me" His breathing became heavier and his tears started to stop falling as he smiled at Liza.

"Thank you for everything, Liza-san…"

Liza's eyes widened and her body became cold when Richard's hand slipped from her grasp. She wanted to catch it almost in an attempt to stop him from leaving her but it was in vain. She watched as it touched to the ground, everything shattering inside her.

"RICHARD! NO!"

She yelled out towards the heavens as the tears fell even more and she felt an incredible pain explode from her chest. She held Richard close to her, almost cradling his body while sobbing frantically.

"Richard… Don't leave me... Please…! D-Don't leave me! DON'T LEAVE ME!" She yelled and the wood around her splintered as a dark aura exploded around her. She couldn't accept it. It wasn't true. Richard was alive.

He had to be.

Everything was just a nightmare that she was going to wake up from. She was going to wake up any moment and run downstairs to find Richard talking to Aston. They would laugh and joke around about her temper like always and she'll gave them each a playful hit.

Then the customers could stream inside the bar like always. Richard would be quick to serve the table and helped Aston where he stumbled. He would give in and take his orders and when the day was done they would all enjoy each other's' company.

She felt something poke her face and looked down at Richard's bloodied and wet jacket. She pulled out a journal from underneath and felt her tears falling more frantically. It was his journal. It was Richard's bloodied journal.

He was gone.

Liza held the book close to her chest as she sobbed loudly, her world breaking into tiny pieces. He was gone. She gritted her teeth and held the book even tighter. He was gone. Why did he smile?! Why did he smile like that?! Why couldn't he hang on just a little longer?!

"Richard…-san…?" She heard a weak voice behind her and was briefly snapped out of her sobbing. She suddenly felt empty, void of anything. She couldn't even hear her own heartbeat anymore and she had no control over her own tears.

Aston fell onto his knees behind her, tears falling from his own eyes while the pirates behind him stared in horror at the scene. Richard died and the marines managed to escape through the fearful battle.

It was their loss.

In the corner of Liza's eyes she caught sight of a half burnt marine jacket, the justice symbol mostly burnt away. It was the marines. They were the ones who killed Richard. They killed him. It was their fault.

Liza felt anger rush up in her system and her blue eyes darkened drastically. They were going to pay. They were going to pay dearly for hurting Richard. They were going to pay for their lives just like Richard had to.

She slowly stood up, her legs swaying a bit beneath her before she regained her balance. She tucked the bloodied journal by her side while looking down at Richard's content expression. She pulled out her dagger and the blade immediately darkened as something sinister crawled onto her arm.

"Where are they?" Liza's voice was hard to recognize as her own and Shanks' brows furrowed with worry. Mihawk stood beside him and he held the hilt of his sword tighter. That didn't look like Liza anymore.

"Liza, don't-""I ask you a question… WHERE ARE THEY?!" She screamed, her hair whipping into the air as it floated, her dark blue eyes glaring at everyone. A deadly aura surrounded her and she was no longer in her conscious mind.

"T-They escaped. They're no longer on this island. I-It's over" Shanks replied, his hand shaking on the hilt of his own sword as the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He watched as Liza suddenly took off towards the harbor and he cursed.

They had to stop her before she did something she was going to regret. Luckily, Mihawk appeared in front of her and blocked her path with his dark blade. Liza stood there, not saying anything but held her dagger tighter.

"Liza, snap out of it. You can't go after them." Mihawk tried to reason with her but Liza was past reasoning. She slowly lifted her dagger before she attacked Mihawk dead on. He was barely able to block her attack and gritted his teeth.

"Don't. Get. IN MY WAY!" She roared and threw Mihawk through the town. She felt Shanks behind her before he wrapped his arms around her, trying to hold her tightly against him. She kept squirming and growled dangerously.

"Please stop, Liza! Richard wouldn't have wanted you to do this! Think clearly! You're only going to regret this! Please sto-!" Shanks suddenly let go of Liza when he was sliced over his upper body and staggered back with a flesh wound.

Liza glared at him and her eyes scanned over him before she vanished from her spot. She ran at full speed towards the harbor, no one able to block her way. She only had one objective and it was the marine warship that was retreating from the island.

She ran right towards the edge of the harbor and then crouched down before she shot up into the sky. Her flexible body spun in the air before she landed onto the deck of the ship, the marines all backing away in shock.

Her dark blue eyes shot up as she looked at all the marines, making them all cower away from her. She could smell their fear radiating around her. It was exhilarating. She watched as all of them suddenly pulled out their weapons and fired at her.

 **Kill.**

The first marine that fired at her, had his throat slit and everyone yelled out in horror. The others suffered the same fate. The men started to yell in angst and started to run away, not coming far on the ship.

 **Kill them.**

"What is going on here-?! W-What?! H-How did you get on my ship?!" Curtis exclaimed as he stepped out onto the deck and Liza's eyes locked with his. He immediately took a retreating step back. He wasn't looking at a human anymore. She looked…like a monster.

 **Kill everyone.**

"Attack! Don't hold back!" Curtis ordered and the men all pulled out their weapons. Liza drew back her dagger and a dark grin came ono her lips. As they neared her she spun the dagger in-between her fingers before she countered.

The males with one sword had their arm instantly cut off along with the weapon. The men with two weapons lost both of their arms and those who shot at her was either decapitated or stabbed in the heart.

They all dropped to the ground, their blood painting the wood and their mixed blood dripping from her dagger. She bent down and pulled out a lighter of one of the marine soldiers who smoked before she lit it.

She made eye contact with Curtis and grinned maniacally. She let the lighter fall and the bodies around her shot on fire. Curtis cried out and fell backwards. He had to retreat or he was going to be a dead man. He needed to call backup!

Liza slowly walked through the fire, the flames not touching her even once and her dagger's dark presence spiraling against the heat. She licked her lips as she watched Curtis run inside the ship and slowly followed him.

She was going to let him run and beg for his life. She was going to kill him _slowly_ and _neatly_. After all, she loved playing with her little prey. They all begged at her feet but there was nothing better than their screams.

"Hello?! Hello!? Is anyone there?! I need immediate backup! I'm being attacked by the Red Menace…No, a monster! Please! Save-!" A blade impaled the transponder snail and Curtis looked back before he gasped.

 **Kill.**

She kept smirking at him as he tried to run away further and into his office before he shut the door. He held it closed and silently prayed before he was stabbed in his back, kicked along with the door and crashed into the opposite wall.

 **Kill him.**

Curtis gasped in pain and managed to pull out the blade that impaled his backside. He looked back up at Liza as he sat against the wall. His eyes filled with fear as Liza approached. She eyed him like he was prey. She was insane!

 **Kill him, _slowly_.**

"S-Stay away, y-you monster! S-Stay away!" He pulled out his pistol and shot at her. However, Liza cut every bullet into pieces with her inhuman speed and dagger. He let his weapon fall and gritted his teeth.

"Monster? _I'm_ the monster?" Liza bent down at his eye level. Her smirk fell instantly and her dagger digging into the flesh of his shoulder making him cry in pain. She licked her lips as his blood flowed out of his wound.

"You have a nice scream." She looked at his face and pulled out her dagger making the male whimper. She gently trailed the blade of her dagger over his face and cocked her head to the side before she impaled his other shoulder.

"Such a lovely expression… I'm going to have fun with you" She turned the dagger in his wound making him yell louder and squirm as tears fell from his eyes. "You'll pay for what you did to Richie. You'll pay dearly" She snarled and pulled out the dagger.

"Y-You monster! N-No, devil! Y-You're going to pay for this! I'll make sure of that!" He yelled at her and watched as a shadow fell over her features. He saw her shoulder start to shake and he frowned before she burst out laughing.

Tears fell from her eyes as she continued to laugh at him, the sound was empty on his ears and it sounded more like she was screaming in pain. She looked back at him, her dagger twirling in her fingers.

"I'm a Bloodmoore. We're born with devil's blood"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	39. Chapter 39

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* I apologize for not posting for a while. This is a very intense Chapter so if you're sensitive to gore scenes, please skip through the last bit. Thank you and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 39**_

 **At the Marine Headquarters…**

The munching of crackers could he heard outside the office of the Fleet Admiral. Both Sengoku and Garp sat opposite of each other. While Sengoku poured in the tea, Garp munched on his famous rice crackers.

"I'm still against all of this, Garp, I hope you know that." Sengoku spoke up and Garp grunted with a mouth full of crackers. "I can't believe they would overrule my authority like that. Who do they think they are, gods?!" Sengoku slammed the teapot onto the small coffee table and almost broke it

Garp let out a sigh and took his tea in hand. "I know it's frustrating but we had no say in the matter. As soon as the World Government steps in, that's it. Besides, she can handle everything herself. I doubt that she'll do anything stupid" Garp pointed out before there was a knock on the door.

The two males looked at the door before briefly glancing at each other. Who would bother them this time of day? Everyone knew that they took a small tea break before hurrying off to rid the world of pirates again.

"Come in"

The door slid open to reveal a marine soldier that stood rigid while saluting. At times, the formal behavior was quite irritating but it was necessary. They needed their soldiers as disciplined as possible and that was how they were trained as well.

However, all the years of being a high ranking, they were more used to give discipline that be disciplined. Especially Garp. He absolutely loved beating the newly soldiers into shape while eating rice crackers in the Fleet Admiral's office.

"What is it?"

"Sir, we just received discovered Vice Admiral Curtis' ship in the open waters outside of The Conquest Line. It was badly damaged by a fire and…" The soldier trailed off and swallowed thickly. "Vice Admiral Curtis and his men are all dead. It looked like they were murdered, sir"

Sengoku's eyes widened in disbelief and horror while Garp closed his eyes to keep his shock to himself. He knew something like that was going to happen. The World Government had no proof that Liza broke the contract but sent for her arrest.

"I-I see. Do you know who did it?" Sengoku asked despite knowing who did it. After all, it was the signs of the Red Menace striking. Men slaughtered, a burning ship and then the sign. If there was a sign painted in blood, it was her.

"We have our suspicions, sir. We're not sure yet since both Hawk-Eyes Mihawk and Red Hair Shanks are residing on the island. We did, however, find this on the ship" The marine pulled out a picture and walked over towards Sengoku before handing it over.

Sengoku's eyes widened and he suddenly felt nauseous at the sight. It was definitely the Red Menace that struck. He turned the photograph over and showed it to Garp who briefly choked on his rice crackers.

He felt sick at the sight and slowly took the photo in his hand. It was a picture of Curtis laying against the wall. His face was barely recognizable from the facial scars and his body looked the same. Above his bloodied body was a symbol that made him pale.

"Who else knows about this?" Sengoku asked as he looked back at the marine soldier, noting that even he was shaken up. "Who else did you show this to?" Garp put down the photo and let out a deep sigh.

"N-No one, s-sir! Since it was a vessel sent by the World Government I decided to report to you since I don't know what else to do." The marine soldier spoke up and Sengoku nodded, his eyes briefly scanning the photo.

"Good. Don't tell or show anyone this. Get rid of all evidence immediately and make sure that this doesn't go anywhere outside of this office. Tell your men to report back to me on their return. They come to me first, no one else, and you too. Understood?" Sengoku ordered.

"B-But, sir-" The marine shut himself up when he received a glare from Sengoku and frantically nodded. "Y-Yes, sir!" The marine said and Sengoku grunted. The male walked towards the exit before turning back to them.

"It's the Red Menace, isn't it?" He asked softly and they looked back at him. Sengoku weakly nodded and the marine turned away. He exited without another word and the two males left in the room were briefly silent.

"You know what this means, Garp. She declared war against the World Government. She'll be hunted down worse than before." Sengoku stated as he looked at the picture while his face paled at the sign painted in blood above Curtis' barely recognizable body.

A striped through emblem of the World Government.

"Yes, but we'll prevent this news to spread. You did the right thing, Sengoku" Garp spoke up before he stood up, tucking the picture in his jacket's inner pocket. "I'm sailing out as soon as possible." Sengoku nodded and grit his teeth.

"This is our fault" Sengoku rasped out and Garp nodded. "I'll take full responsibility for my actions. No one will ever find out what happened to that vessel. Not even the World Government" Garp grunted and let out a sigh as he stood at the exit of the room.

"We let the beast escape. It's out duty to cage it once more"

* * *

The Conquest Line Island…

The wind softly blew through Liza's long black strands as she sat on a hill in front of a newly made grave. Her dimmed blue eyes stared at the engraved numbers and letters, each time more painful than the previous.

Richard was gone.

Liza sat in front of his grave, not knowing how much time passed. It could've been minutes, hours, days, months… She didn't know. She didn't care. She didn't move an inch and she hadn't said anything. She just sat there in her own silence.

By the time she returned to her sane mind, the entire marine crew was dead, Mihawk and Shanks were injured and the gravestone was standing on the hill. She didn't say a word to them, merely went to sit down in front of the grey stone.

She gently trailed her fingers over the leather journal in her grasp, not looking down. She read through it many times and memorized all its contents in a short amount of time. But like the reading of the engraved characters on the grave stone, it was more painful each time.

A shaky breath left her and tears started to fall from her blue eyes. She swallowed thickly and briefly closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and exhaled once again. More tears started to fall as she opened her mouth.

 _Jumping up and down the floor,  
My head is an animal. Once there was an animal,  
It had a son that mowed the lawn.  
The son was an okay guy._

She softly sang and resisted a sob that wanted to break through her throat. No, she had to do this. She had to sing this song. It was what Richard wanted her to do and that was what she was going to do.

 _They had a pet dragonfly.  
The dragonfly it ran away.  
But it came back with a story to say._

She only wished that she could sing it with him by her side, just like old times, but she couldn't. Why? Why could she not have happiness? Why did she keep losing everything that mattered to her? Why did she have this cursed life?

 _Her dirty paws and furry coat.  
She ran down the forest slopes.  
The forest of talking trees,  
They used to sing about the birds and the bees._

She continued to sing the story and deep inside her she found the lyrics very amusing. She didn't know where Richard came up with the lyrics and she knew that she wouldn't change a thing. The song was perfect.

 _The bees had declared a war.  
The sky wasn't big enough for them all.  
The birds, they got help from below,  
From dirty paws and the creatures of snow._

She took a breath and swallowed thickly. It was getting harder for her to sing as her eyes blurred and voice shook. She held the journal tighter and bit her bottom lip. She could do this. She could sing this at least once.

 _So for a while things were cold,  
They were scared down in their holes.  
The forest that once was green,  
Was colored black by those killing machines._

Her dagger lay by her side, the blade clean of blood stains but the blade a bit darker than before. The hilt was still the same brightly colored wood with a few jewels attached to it. However, the blade no longer shone with light and instead, darkness.

 _But she and her furry friends  
Took down the queen bee and her men  
And that's how the story goes,  
The story of the beast with those four dirty paws._

The last sentence she sang echoed through her head and her lips twitched upwards slightly. Those were fitting words. It was what she was. She was a beast with dirty paws covered in blood from those she killed.

She was a monster.

She heard footsteps behind her but didn't bother to glance back at the person. She already knew who it was. She gently wiped away her tears and her eyes fixated onto the engraved words once more.

"Liza…" Mihawk's voice softly started and Liza felt her heart give a painful squeeze. She could already see him in her mind. He had a few cuts and bruises on his open chest from the force she attacked him. He was hurt because of her.

"You're leaving" It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I'm leaving" Mihawk replied, his brows furrowing. She already knew. Did that mean she had another vision? Did she see him leaving? It didn't quite matter anymore. As long as she knew that he was going.

"Red Hair is helping with the cleaning up of the explosion and his men is taking care of your young friend. They have everything under control. Therefore, I shall take my leave" Mihawk stated, his own heart aching at his last words.

"Why?" It was pained.

Mihawk didn't have to ask her what she meant by that one word. He already knew. How could he not? He understood Liza better than he thought he would. After everything, he understood how fragile but dangerous she was.

"I'm making the choice you couldn't and wouldn't make." He simply replied and received a reaction from Liza. She glanced back at him and he felt a pang in his chest at her sorrowful expression. She looked terrible.

"I know now that I was too late and that I cannot give you what you deserve. I cannot make your dream come true" He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Liza. I hope that you understand" He softly added and Liza resisted the tears that wanted to flow out of her eyes.

He was leaving her.

She wanted to say something but found no words. All she knew was the pain and hollowness in her chest. He was leaving her behind. Did she not mean anything? Was it true? Was she merely a fling for him?

Mihawk bent down and put his forehead against hers making Liza's tears briefly stop. Instead of his presence and warmth bringing comfort, it only brought more pain. Mihawk gently stroked away her tears and looked into her blue eyes.

"I will always love you" He murmured softly to her before he kissed her. Liza's hand held his cheek as he kissed her. She loved him too. She knew that from the beginning she was smitten but she also knew that what Mihawk was doing was because of something else.

"Goodbye, Liza"

Mihawk broke away from her and left Liza staring at him. He gave her one last glance before he walked away. Liza stared at his retreating body and wanted to yell. She wanted to run towards him, grab him and never let go but stayed in place.

"I…I love you too" She softly murmured but it was too late. Mihawk was already fading away in the distance and Liza closed her eyes in pain. She turned her back on him and let her head fall. She couldn't do anything.

All she could do was cry.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	40. Chapter 40

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* I apologize for not posting for a while. This is a very intense Chapter so if you're sensitive to gore scenes, please skip through the last bit. Thank you and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 40**_

 _ **Two days later…**_

Liza sat in front of the grave, not moving, not sleeping, not eating or drinking. She hadn't moved from her spot even once. No one came near her or the grave. She was all alone in her own mind and thoughts.

"It's been two days. Do you think she'll ever move from that spot?" Benn asked as he lit his cigarette before inhaling deeply. He stood beside Shanks while looking at Liza's unmoving figure. He let out a sigh filled with smoke.

"She has to. If she keeps this up she'll become ill. She needs to move from there" Shanks spoke up, his brows furrowed and a deep frown plastered on his features. He hated seeing her like that and hoped that she would try to make peace.

"It won't be long until the Marines come for her" Benn glanced at Shanks as the redhead gritted his teeth. "After what she did, I'm sure that the World Government won't sit still. She's going to need all the protection there is" Benn finished and Shanks grunted.

Shanks knew exactly what Benn was talking about and swallowed thickly every time he thought about it. They found Liza on the burning marine ship and saw what she did to the Vice Admiral. He had never seen such inhumanity in his life.

It was a first that he felt fear towards Liza but when he found her stained in blood with tears falling down her cheeks, his own heart ached. It was what Liza was. She looked strong and confident on the outside but in reality she was fragile.

She was human.

"I'm bringing her back to the ship. Make sure to prepare a decent meal and make sure that no one bothers her." Shanks ordered and Benn nodded. He looked back at Liza, his eyes gleaming with worry.

"Shanks" Benn spoke up and Shanks briefly stopped before he glanced back at his first mate. "Bring her back" It almost sounded like a plea and Shanks nodded. He knew what Benn meant. He needed to bring the Liza they loved and cared about back and that's just what he was going to do.

Shanks slowly advanced towards Liza, his face determined and his eyes gleaming. He was going to help Liza just like he did before. He promised her that he would carry her burdens with her no matter how heavy they were.

He knew that this was a heavy burden to Liza and he didn't know how he was going to rescue her from her despair. All he knew was that he wasn't going to let the woman he loved dive deeper into depression.

He loved her too much.

He neared her and stopped a few feet away from her sitting figure. Neither of them moved as a draft blew passed them but Liza knew he was there. She heard him approaching and could feel his presence. Something that she didn't even noticed she could do.

"Leave"

"No" Shanks bluntly replied, his tone low. "I'm not leaving you here any longer. You're going to have to start accepting what happened and come back. If you sit here forever, you'll only make yourself ill and that's not how Richard wanted you to live" Liza gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

Shanks knew his words were harsh but it was the only way to snap her out of her depression. Anger was the only way to get through to her. If she got angry at him, it meant that she was still there. Liza was still in there.

"He wouldn't want you to sit the rest of your days mourning his death. He would want you to be happy, party, live and even love. He wanted the best for you, not to waste your life" Shanks stated and Liza growled.

"Shut up! Stop! Stop sounding like you know him! You don't know anything!" Liza yelled at him but Shanks stood there, indifferent towards her screaming. "I'll do what my life what I want! Not you or anyone can decide that for me!"

"You're right" Liza's eyes widened. "I didn't know him as well as you did. I wish that I could've known him better. He might've became a good friend, a comrade. Unfortunately, he didn't and I wish that I could feel the pain that you're feeling" Shanks said and briefly closed his eyes.

"I wish I could feel your pain instead. I wish it was me who figured out everything beforehand and saved him. I wish I could change everything, but I can't. However, what I know was that Richard wouldn't want this" Shanks gestured towards Liza as he spoke.

Liza felt newly tears form in the corner of her eyes and brought her hands up towards her chest. She clutched the clothing beneath her hand and gritted her teeth. The pain… It never went away. She couldn't get rid of it.

"What does it matter?" She weakly spoke and glanced back at Shanks making him flinch. "He's gone. Mihawk's gone. It won't be long until you go too. You'll all leave me here behind. You said no one is ever alone but you were wrong"

"I'm not going anywhere, Liza"

"Stop lying!" She snapped at him, tears falling from her eyes. "You're going to leave eventually! You have a life as a pirate! Your heart belongs to the sea! You made a promise that you wouldn't leave me but it was all a lie!" She could feel anger pulse through her veins.

 _"I know now that I am and do love you. I want you to know that I'm not going to leave you, ever. I can't imagine a life without you and I refuse to have one without you there"_

"It was all lies… The lies of being safe and secure if I made a contract to the World Government. The lies of living happily with my dear friends. The lies of being free from the monster. The lies of being loved… Nothing was true…" Liza trailed off and Shanks grit his teeth.

"I do love you!" Shanks yelled and Liza's eyes widened at the male's sudden anger outburst. "I love you and your monster! I love all of you! I did promise that I would stay here with you and I'm not going anywhere! I don't care if it takes forever to break your grief, I'll do it anyway" He said.

"No-""I didn't ask for your permission" Shanks cut her off and kneeled in front of her. "I'm never going to let you go. Not even for one second" He said before he pulled her into a strong embrace and Liza growled.

"Let me go! NO! Let me go!" Liza slammed against his chest and Shanks grunted at each painful blow on his wound. Liza's eyes widened at the bandaged would and she immediately stopped. Her hand touched the bandages and more tears fell from her eyes.

"Let me go, Shanks…please… I'm a monster… I did this to you. I hurt you. I killed those men. I killed Richard. Please…let me go" Liza softly begged him as she let her hand fall and he resistance against Shanks stopped.

"No, I'm never letting you go. It's not your fault. Everything that happened was not your fault. You didn't kill Richard and no one blames you for it. Not Aston, not the crew, not me. You're not a monster" Shanks said and Liza lay her head against his chest as she cried.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Shanks!" She cried and felt his hold tighter onto her. She sobbed loudly in his embrace feeling his comforting heat around her only made her sob more. However, his grip never softened as she broke down.

"It's okay to cry. Overcome this" His words were spoken softly and Liza held onto his shirt while nodding. She knew that she had to go on with her life. She knew that she needed to move forward and that she wasn't alone but for now all she wanted to do was cry all the pain out.

Shanks looked at Richard's grave and his brows twitched when he saw a smile somewhere in the corner of his eye. Then it was gone just as fast as it came. He briefly closed his eyes and a small smile came onto his lips.

He felt Liza's sobbing softly go away before she relaxed in his embrace. He glanced down and his eyes softened when he saw she fell asleep. He gently brushed away her tears and then kissed her on her forehead.

"Rest well, Liza"

* * *

Liza could hear faint screams in the background as her blurry vision looked around. She could barely make out the burning flames around her and walked on. She continued to walk, blood staining her boots as she did so.

Swords clashing. Wood burning. A bloodied journal. A grave.

The scenery then changed where she stood in front of the Vice Admiral. His body covered in deep cuts all around his vital areas. His face wasn't as recognizable and his blood stained the floor. It was red…her favorite color…

Her blurry vision shifted towards the painted blood above him and she felt satisfaction wash over her. She killed them. She killed them all. She looked down at her bloodied hands, her dagger laying in its own puddle of blood.

 _"Liza"_

She spun around at the voice before she saw a bloodied and burnt body's back towards her. A journal was in the person's right hand and each time the blood dripped on the floor she felt horror wash over her. She screamed when she as the male turned to face her with a bloodied smile.

 _"Liza!"_

Liza shot up in bed in cold sweat and breathing heavy. She felt cold and terror as her body shook from the nightmare. Her hands were immediately on her head and she tried to get rid of the images that flashed through her mind.

"Liza, everything's going to be alright. I'm right here" A soothing voice spoke and she was pulled into the warmth of Shanks's strong arms. "It's just a nightmare. You're safe. Calm down" Liza felt her body slowly start to calm down and she slowly let her hands drop from her head.

"Shanks?"

"Yes, I'm right here" Shanks instantly answered and Liza let her body relax against his. She tried to resist the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She held onto him as tightly as she could, not wanting him to disappear.

Benn came rushing into the room with Yasopp and Lucky Roo by his side. They were on high alert and as soon as they heard Liza scream they hurried towards the room. Benn looked at Liza but she didn't seem to notice they were there.

He looked back at Shanks who had a serious expression and he gave them a nod. They lowered their guard and nodded in response. It was another nightmare. Benn gave Shanks one last look before he walked out with the men following.

Her nightmares became more frequently in the week but every time, Shanks was there to comfort her. The crew worried for their Captain and Liza and made sure that they were always comfortable. They received the best food and they made sure to buy supplies on their own.

Benn made sure to make things run smoothly on the ship while keeping a close eye on Aston. He kept himself busy and made sure to do everything he was able to. He blamed himself but knew that Liza was worse.

He had to stay strong, for Liza.

When things didn't seem to go better, Liza's nightmares became fewer and she slowly started to socialize with the handful of right-hand men that Shanks had. She struggled to move on but knew that she had support and that no one expected her to suddenly be back to normal.

She tried to be brave and slowly picked up the broken pieces. She knew that her first step would be to slowly make peace with the past and what happened. Shanks was right. Richard wanted her to move on.

However, there wasn't a day that went by that she didn't miss him. Many times she wanted to talk to him until she was reminded that he was no longer there. It was a big adjustment that she had to make but she tried.

She missed Aston and knew that he was going through his own grief. Benn told her that he kept himself busy and things seemed fine but it changed when he gave his thoughts time. He told her that Aston blamed himself for everything despite it not being true.

She couldn't let his grief drag him down any longer and needed the push the same way Shanks helped her. She was going to stand up, be strong and continue forward. That was what she did and who she was.

She was Liza.

Liza smiled softly at herself as she stood on the deck of Shanks' ship and looked out to the blue ocean. The color rivaled her own bright blue eyes but the rowdy waves never laid down at her presence.

She looked at the island that they sailed around and let out a sigh. Despite not sailing out in the open waters away from the island, it was still a thrilling feeling. She would lie if she said that she missed sailing.

"Liza-san?" Aston's voice reached her ears and she glanced at the door that opened on the deck. Aston stood in the doorway, almost not able to believe his own eyes since Liza hadn't come out of Shanks' room over a week. Until now.

"Hey, Aston" She softly spoke and Aston swallowed thickly. He wanted to run towards her and embrace her. He wanted to apologize for everything. However, he merely walked over towards her and went to stand beside her.

"You, um, look better. I guess you're feeling better since you're out here" Aston stated and Liza nodded, her small smile never leaving her features. Aston swallowed thickly again and looked down at the water while feeling a bit uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say.

"You look healthy as well. I hear you've been helping Benn and the others a lot. He even said you haven't made an accident once. I'm impressed" Liza complimented and Aston's face lit up slightly as he let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, I guess miracles do happen. I always got myself into trouble for being clumsy but I got lucky. Richard-san wouldn't believe it thought" A tension suddenly surrounded them and Aston immediately regretted his words.

He averted his eyes towards the waters below them and bit her bottom lip. He was so stupid! He knew that Liza was still struggling to accept Richard's death and here he goes blurting out his name. What was wrong was with him?!

Liza let out a soft chuckle. "Yes, he would let you serve a couple of tables and watch you carefully to believe you. I would beat him up though. There's no observing on the job" Liza replied and Aston looked at her with briefly wide eyes.

She…smiled and laughed.

"Hey, don't stare at me like that. Do I have something on my face?" Liza asked with a raised eyebrow and Aston was quick to shake his head. He quickly looked away again and a blush covered his cheeks I embarrassment.

"S-Sorry. It's just… I haven't seen you smile or laugh in a while. I'm glad to see it" Aston murmured and Liza felt her smile widen ever so slightly. She took a deep breath and sighed it out, loving the scent of salt water.

"Me too." A brief silence started to linger around them and she noticed Aston's face fall. She could see his thoughts plagued him and her brows furrowed. "It wasn't your fault, Aston. Stop blaming yourself" She scolded softly but Aston shook his head.

"No, it is my fault. None of this would've even happened if I didn't go to Hades. I should've stayed at the bar and become stronger on my own. If I did then…" He bit hard onto his teeth. "Then Richard-san wouldn't have…" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"It's not your fault. It's no one's." Liza stated in a serious tone. "There are reasons behind everything we do and what happens. We might not see it now or ever, but we know there is a reason. There's a reason for everything that happened" Aston looked up at her.

"Richard died with a smile on his face. That gives us no right to cry and fall into despair. We have no right to throw away our lives like garbage by grieving. He'd want us to party like there's no tomorrow!" Liza finished and Aston let out a weak chuckle as tears started to fall from his eyes.

"I would've wanted him to be at the party too" Liza wrapped an arm around Aston's shoulders and pulled him closer. Aston's eyes were briefly wide until he felt her gently stroke his hair and calmed down a bit.

"He'll be there. He wouldn't miss it for the world" Liza felt her own tears collect in her eyes and closed them. "I can see him scold the males because of their spilling and then call me to kick their asses" Her smile quivered slightly.

"After that, he'll scold me for damaging and breaking too much property. I don't know why he always fusses about that. I mean, it's not my fault people piss me off!" They both lightly at her words and Liza let out a sigh.

"But either way, he'll be there. He's here now, in our hearts. As long as we remember him, he'll never be dead. That bastard is going to haunt us forever!" Liza's tears slowly started to fall as she opened her blue eyes.

"We'll miss him and probably cry a lot like babies but we won't forget him. He was a big part of our lives and left his footsteps in our lives. But…it's time to move on, Aston. It's time to let it all go. The past, the pain, the regret and mostly the grief" Liza said and Aston nodded as he continued to sob.

She glanced back on the deck and saw Shanks and Benn stand beside each other. Lucky and Yasopp gave her all smiles and she returned it. She looked at Shanks and he gave her a nod, his silence being an answer on his own.

They were going to be fine.

They did lose a dear friend but he would forever stay in their hearts. It was time to move forward and think about the future. Liza wasn't going to let that opportunity slip from her fingers and knew that she had people standing behind her.

Whatever challenges that may cross her path, she would conquer. Whatever trouble laid ahead, she would face it head on. She was not afraid anymore. She was not imprisoned anymore. She was not a monster anymore.

She was Liza D. Bloodmoore.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	41. Chapter 41

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Thank you for waiting patiently and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 41**_

Liza was calm.

She lay in a familiar warmth and peacefully slept in an abyss where nothing bothered her. No dreams or nightmares came in her sleep and she appreciated the silence. Especially since the noise of wood burning, yelling and dripping vanished from her mind.

Unfortunately, she woke up much too soon from her rest and shifted slightly, something tightening around her. She felt completely safe in the strong and warm embrace. She enjoyed waking up feeling content even if it was only brief.

Her blue eyes slowly fluttered open and she was met with the bare chest of Shanks, her face heating up. She still wasn't used to waking up to a half-naked male next to her but appreciated that she didn't sleep in the bunker with the rest of the snoring men.

Liza studied Shanks' calm sleeping expression and resisted to chuckle when he softly snore. He looked adorable while sleeping but the hair…He always had red strands hanging messily in his face. He was even a more lost cause than she was with her hair.

She saw his chest twitch slightly and her eyes traveled towards the dim scar on his chest. She hesitantly brought her hand onto the scar and flinched. She hurt him. She could feel her subconscious kick her for hurting him.

Their doctor said that it would heal quickly and that the scar would fade away. It was only a skin cut making the marks disappear easily. However, she still didn't like the thought of hurting Shanks even if she could barely control her beast.

"That's still sensitive, you know? It kind of tickles when you touch it like that" Shanks suddenly said and Liza smiled at him instead of being surprised. He looked at her, his own smile on his lips as he enjoyed her teasing look.

"Who would've thought that the great Red Hair Shanks would be ticklish because of a scar? Oh, what will you do now that I know your weakness?" She mocked him with a teasing look and he snickered in amusement.

"I surrender"

"Pfft, that was easy" Liza snorted with a disappointed look before turning her attention back towards his scarred chest. Her brows furrowed slightly and her small smile faded into a stoic expression.

"I'd like to think that you were still inside there" Shanks murmured and Liza's brows twitched. "If you weren't then I would've been injured much worse. You held back from dangerously hurting me. That means something"

"I still hurt you" She murmured and let her head fall onto his chest with a sigh. "I've always lived this cursed life ever since I was taken away from my home to be trained to become an assassin. No matter how hard I block _it_ out, it keeps coming back"

"Liza, it's a part of you now and despite not wanting to ever see it again, I accept it. I accept your supernatural, no-devil's-fruit-needed-powers too." Shanks stated and Liza's eyes briefly widened. That idiot! He told Shanks her secret!

"Benn told you?!" Shanks nodded. "That lowlife scum! I wanted to tell you when the time was right! You just wait, I'll make sure he won't be able to smoke a cigarette again in his life" She threatened and Shanks laughed.

"As long as he can still walk and fight then you can do with him what you want to. I still need a first mate, you know?" Shanks joked and Liza playfully rolled her eyes. She pushed herself into a sitting position and ran her hand through her hair.

Shanks looked at her back and reached out to touch it. Liza briefly froze up and looked back at Shanks with a confused facial expression. What was he doing? She noticed his falling smile and realized what he was looking at.

The bullet scars.

They were visible through her white blouse and healed up a long time ago. It didn't hurt anymore either but she was still marked. She didn't mind it though. Her battle scars reminded her of the moments she was the most proud of.

"It seems that neither of us like each other's scars. I wonder what would happen if we each got a tattoo" She stated in an amused tone and Shanks chuckled. He let his hand fall from her back and crossed his arms behind his head.

"I won't ever like them, though. The difference between mine and yours is that mine will fade away. Yours are permanent" Shanks softly said and Liza nodded, a small smile on her lips. He could see that it didn't bother her in the least that she was going to be scarred for the rest of her life.

"I don't regret it." She turned back towards him. "I don't regret anything about that day. It brought us all closer to each other and Aston's life was spared. But most of all, I don't regret coming back to take care of all you crazy people" She replied and Shanks gave her an amused look.

"If it wasn't for that to happen, then I might've never confessed. I guess I needed the small push" Shanks said and Liza softly laughed. She looked at him, her blue eyes quivering slightly and felt her feelings all bubble up.

She finally understood what Mihawk meant and she realized her true feelings. She was keeping herself blind all this time but she didn't deny anything anymore. It didn't matter if something were to happen, her feelings weren't going to change.

"Shanks, I have to tell you something" Liza started and Shanks raised an eyebrow. He pushed himself into a sitting position and gave her his full attention. Liza gave him a weak smile and cursed at herself. Was this how Shanks felt in the beginning before he confessed? It was so frustrating!

"Shanks, I lo-""Liza-san!" Aston knocked on the door before he entered with a wide smile. "Morning, Liza-san! Shanks-san!" He waved at them but froze when he received a deadly glare from Liza. She was not pleased.

"This better be _very_ good"

"U-u-uh, y-yes! W-We j-just arrived back on the island, Liza-san. You told me to inform you as soon as we arrived" Aston spoke and Liza narrowed her eyes at him. "I-I'm sorry for interrupting! Please continue!" He slammed the door closed and quickly scurried off.

"Hey, you shouldn't scare the kid like that. Especially since you told him to inform you when we arrived" Shanks received a playful punch with Liza weakly glaring at him. "Sorry. I'm at full attention. What did you want to say?" He asked but Liza shook her head.

"I'll tell you later. I have to get ready and go out. I have a few errands to run. If I'm not back by sundown, you can look for me" Liza stepped out of the bed and Shanks' stared at her for a few moments.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Liza stopped climbing out of the bed and glanced back at Shanks. She did consider it at one point but she decided that it would be best that she did this on her own. She had to do this to finally move on with her life.

"No, I have to do this myself. Don't worry, I'll be just fine. It won't take too long but when I come back, I want my drink ready" She held her finger out towards Shanks and he laughed at her. She gave him a kiss and then left the room.

It was time.

* * *

Liza walked through the silent streets of the town and ignored the stares she received. Some were sympathetic and others were just plain pity. However, she simply walked passed them all until she reached the place where her bar exploded.

There was almost nothing left, only a few ruins and the half exploded basement. She was grateful towards Shanks and his men for cleaning up the ruins since she wouldn't have the strength to do it herself.

She walked onto the burnt wood and then ono the cement of the floor. She was surprised that it was still intact. She thought that all of it would be blown away by the explosion but she seemed to think wrongly.

She glanced around as she took in the empty space almost seeing the bar once again. The rowdy pirates drinking at several tables, the piano on the small stage where she performed, the bar counter, the stairs that led to her room, the kitchen…it was all gone.

Liza stopped when she stepped onto something strange and glanced down at a small steel trap door beneath her. It was the emergency entrance to the basement. She pulled it open with little effort and coughed at the dust before she jumped inside.

She switched on the light and then looked at the basement room. It looked terrible. Most of the bottles of wine and alcohol broke and lay scattered on the ground. Some of the barrels were still intact but others had holes in them.

She caught sight of one single blue bottle on the middle shelf on her right and walked towards it, crushing pieces of wood and glass beneath her boots. Her eyes widened as she took it off the shelf and a sad smile came onto her lips.

The Bloody Mermaid.

Liza remembered the drinking contest she had with Shanks and how they were determined to win. Richard had stopped them from drinking any further, claiming that it was dangerous and scolded them for it. Those were good times.

Liza decided to take her leave and took the bottle of wine with her. She closed the door behind her and gave the bar one last glance before she walked away. In her heart, she was sad that she would never be able to return but she was glad that she had wonderful memories to remember.

She was going to miss the 'Dine and Dash'. It was the first real home she had where she wasn't hunted down by anyone. It was where she found her salvation. It was where she met both Richard and Aston.

It was where she made many allies but many enemies as well. It was the place where she met the best of comrades and where love blossomed. It was a place of fun and content. She loved the bar and would forever hold the precious memories she made close to her.

Liza sadly looked up towards the hill where Richard's grave stood not too far away from her Captain's. She took a steady and deep breath before she stopped in front of his grave, her heart giving a small squeeze.

"Hey, Richie" She softly said and she felt a strong breeze against her back resulting in her hair blowing in her face. She chuckled and nodded. "I know, I know. I won't be here long. I just wanted to come by one last time" She pulled out the bloodied journal and trailed her thumb over the texture.

"I made sure to memorize everything inside here. I never knew how precious this book was for you but now I understand. Thank you for sharing this with me. I promise that I'll never forget anything and not tell a soul" Liza pulled out a lighter and briefly stopped.

The image of her pulling out her lighter on the marine ship and then burning the bodies flashed through her mind. She shivered slightly and shook her head of the thought. She lit her lighter and then ignited the journal in the flames, the burning quickly spreading.

She threw the book into the air and watched as it quickly burnt to ash, the pieces falling on Richard's grave. She lifted up the wine to eye level and a smirk came onto her features. It was the finest wine she knew and she was sure Richard was screaming at her not to do it.

"Don't worry, Richie, this baby's going to be drunk by Shanks and me. We have a rematch to attend to, remember?" Liza stated and drop her hand to her side. She gave his grave one last look before she closed her eyes.

"Farewell, Richie. Thank you for everything"

Liza turned and walked away without another word. She didn't have to say anything else. She felt the ache in her heart but knew that everything was going to turn out alright in the end. She made peace and could now look at the future.

She knew there was a lot of obstacles that awaited her and she'll get through them. She always did. She knew that the Navy would come for her head sooner or later and when they did, she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

It was only a matter of time until Shanks went out to the sea but she made peace with that decision as well. She had to find a place of her own to go to and decide what to do from there. Not only that but she couldn't leave Aston all by himself.

As sunset arrived at its peak, Liza arrived back at the ship. She noticed the men planning to go look for her until Aston caught sight of her. She gave him a wave and the other men looked back at Liza as well, all grinning.

"Liza! I'm glad you're back. We were just about to go and look for you while the rest stayed behind. They wanted to party without you" Benn spoke up as he lit his cigarette and Liza glared at the crew's men.

"How selfish they are! And here I was considering singing a song or two for you crazy bunch! You can go sing yourselves to sleep!" She snapped at them and they all sadly groaned. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing before she held up the bottle of wine.

"Well? We don't have all night, now do we? Let's party!" Liza exclaimed and Benn watched in both amazement and amusement as the crew cheered loudly. They were too pumped up for a party and it meant nothing good could come of this.

"You have a scary influence on them, Liza-san. They're already putting everything ready for the party and bringing out food. I didn't know anyone could be that fast" Aston pointed out as she stared at the scene with his own disbelieving eyes.

"What can I say? I'm a woman. We always get what we want" Liza stated making Benn, Aston, Yasopp and Lucky Roo sweat drop. "Now, where is that redhead clown? I didn't carry this for my own health" She gestured towards the bottle before hearing an exclamation.

"Hey! That's not very nice to say!" Shanks pouted as he walked towards Liza, slightly offended but it was long gone when he saw the wine. "Ooh, is this what I think it is?! Where did you get this? I thought everything was blown up"

"Nah, I found this in the basement. There are a few barrels still intact. You can send your men to fetch them tomorrow. I don't want anything to waste and I do believe that we have a rematch with this wine" Liza stated and Shanks laughed.

"Let's start with round two then"

Liza laughed at him and went to sit down next to him. The men was quick to serve them the wine and it was only enough for two mugs fully filled. It was their first drink of many but no matter how much they drank, they were still even.

"Um, L-Liza-san? A-Are you still with us?" Aston asked as he still held his first mug filled with sake and looked at Liza. Both she and Shanks' cheeks were flushed from the drinking and they were laughing very loudly with the rest of the men.

"I'm fine, Aston. I'm not even near tipsy by now. Shanks however… That's another story" Liza mocked and Shanks gave her a fake look of hurt. "But you shouldn't worry about me! You barely had something to drink! Come on, chug a little! Be a man!"

"Chug! Chug! Chug!" The men all cheered and Aston swallowed thickly. He quickly tried to finish his drink by chugging it all down and made a face of disgust when he was finished. Everyone cheered for him before Benn handed him his second drink.

It was going to be a long night.

"Hey, Liza! What was that about a song you wanted to sing?!" Yasopp called over Lucky Roo's shoulder and Liza chuckled. She was fast to catch a guitar that was thrown towards her and sighed deeply.

"You never know when to give up, do you?" The men all shrugged innocently and she shook her head in disapproval. She looked down at the guitar and gently trailed her hands over the strings. Richard used to play the guitar.

"Are you alright?" Shanks softly asked next to her and she nodded, a small smile forming onto her lips. He knew what she was thinking and put a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it. It was enough to give Liza the motivation to start playing.

"This is a special song, a new one that was written. It may be no Bink's Sake, but it's officially one of my favorite songs" Liza said and slowly started to play, her fingers gently playing over the strings of the guitar.

 _Jumping up and down the floor,  
My head is an animal.  
Once there was an animal,  
It had a son that mowed the lawn.  
The son was an okay guy._

 _They had a pet dragonfly.  
The dragonfly it ran away.  
But it came back with a story to say._

Everyone seemed to calm down as she continued to sing and listened to her melodious voice. Shanks smiled at her and briefly closed his eyes as she told her story. He had an idea who wrote this song but said nothing.

 _Her dirty paws and furry coat.  
She ran down the forest slopes.  
The forest of talking trees,  
They used to sing about the birds and the bees._

She started playing a little bit harder, a smile forming onto her lips and memories passing through her mind. She remembered the first time she came to this island and met Richard. He agreed to work with her and a friendship was formed.

 _The bees had declared a war.  
The sky wasn't big enough for them all.  
The birds, they got help from below,  
From dirty paws and the creatures of snow._

It wasn't long until the bar finally got business and they received a fair income. They stayed above on the first floor as soon as it was built and kept expanding where they went. In the beginning they performed together every night until Richard decided to write songs instead.

 _So for a while things were cold,  
They were scared down in their holes.  
The forest that once was green,  
Was colored black by those killing machines._

Then they met Shanks and Mihawk not long after. There was a lot of fun times involved there and when they left, a year later Aston came along. They were very close and formed their own small group of friends. She would never forget any of that and this song brought back everything.

 _But she and her furry friends  
Took down the queen bee and her men  
And that's how the story goes,  
The story of the beast with those four dirty paws._

She finished the song and then looked up at everyone. They all cheered loudly and Liza laughed. She put the guitar next to her and then looked at Shanks who gave her a wide grin. She would never forget that she found there either.

"Anchor! Anchor!"

"Not tonight, boys" They all whined sadly. "I'll give you one tomorrow! Geez, you're all a bunch of children and I thought you were bad" Liza stated while looking at Shanks who pouted. She playfully shoved him and he laughed.

"Hey, Aston! You need to finish up that drink! We're ready to pour you the next one!" Yasopp yelled and Aston paled. Not again. The men cheered him on once again and Liza chuckled. She felt Shanks's hand on hers and glanced back at him as he stared at the stars above them.

Now was her chance. She had been looking for an opportunity to finally tell him but she hadn't gotten any. She got close this morning but was interrupted. However, it was different now. She doubted that the men would bother them.

"Shanks, can I talk to you for a second? In private?" Liza whispered and Shanks looked down at her. "It's very important" She added and Shanks nodded. She stood up, Shanks joining her and the men all exclaimed while Yasopp and Lucky Roo whistled.

"Don't be too loud!"

Liza chucked her mug and Yasopp was the first it hit before it hit Lucky. The both fell backwards from the force and the rest of the men laughed. Benn chuckled and looked at Liza and Shanks vanish inside the ship. He let out a smoke filled sigh and looked at the sky, keeping his thoughts a secret.

"You know, if you didn't want to stay there with those rowdy men you could've just said so." Shanks said as they entered his room and Liza rolled her eyes. She closed the door behind them before looking back at Shanks.

"No, I would rather run away from you" Shanks gave her a disapproving look making her chuckle. "Believe me, I can handle much more than them. There's like a bunch of children just like their Captain." Liza teased and Shanks gave her a blank look.

"I'll take that as a compliment…since we would still be young as kids" Shanks said and Liza sweat dropped. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Liza opened her mouth to talk until she heard shifting behind the door and instantly pulled out her blade.

She threw it right through the door and it impaled the opposite wall. The men who wanted to listen in ran away in fear of Liza's wrath and Liza let out a sigh. Shanks chuckled in amusement and looked down at Liza.

"There's no need to break the door"

"I didn't break it. See it as a personalized peephole. Besides, it's their fault for wanting to listen in" Liza let out a sigh and looked back at Shanks. This was it. She was finally going to confess and by the way her heart rammed against her chest she knew that this was it.

"Shanks, I never got the proper time to thank you for everything you did for both Aston and me. Thank you for everything. I don't know what I would've done if you weren't there to support me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in my sane mind right now" Liza said and Shanks smiled.

"Of course! I made a promise, didn't I? Also, I know that Richard would want someone to keep an eye on you. But then again, I can't take my eyes off you" Shanks replied and Liza felt her face heat up at his words.

She quickly cleared her throat from the heat in her cheeks and took another deep breath. "There's something that I have to tell you too. I…I don't know how to say it but I guess here goes nothing" Liza looked back up at Shanks, a smile on her lips.

"Shanks, I'm in love with you" Shanks's eyes widened and he stared at her in shock. "So much happened and I didn't know which way to go but after everything I finally realized my feelings. You're always there for me and I don't know what I would do without you" Liza said.

Shanks was completely quiet, almost frozen in his shocked state and Liza's brows furrowed. Oh no. Was he rejecting her confession? He did say that he loved her but why was he acting completely frozen filled with disbelief.

"Listen, if you don't feel the same just-" Shanks' lips crashed onto hers and all questions vanished from her thoughts. She pulled him closer, her fingers in his hair and his hat touching her finger tips. Shanks put his hands onto her hips and pulled her closer.

The kiss was hot and filled with passion and heat that Liza hadn't felt from Shanks before. Her entire body heated up and she found that she didn't want to stop kissing him. She barely felt him pressing her back against the wall and all too soon, the kiss ended.

"Liza, you don't know how happy you made me. I'm probably the luckiest man in the world" Shanks rasped as they both breathed heavy and Liza smiled back at him. Her blue eyes met his darker orbs and she pulled him close.

"And I'm the luckiest woman in the world"

Shanks chuckled and kissed her once again, passion and lust taking over. Liza's body felt on fire and she couldn't get enough of him. She softly moaned as he kissed and sucked a sensitive spot in her neck while she wrapped her legs around his waist making him groan.

It didn't last long until Shanks' already half open shirt lay on the floor, followed by Liza's white shirt and their shoes. They were both lost in each other and the outside world was no longer present to them.

Shanks gently lay Liza down onto the bed and briefly broke the kiss. He stared into her big blue and beautiful eyes, almost losing himself. She was beautiful. Her lightly tanned skin, her dark hair contrasting with her bright blue eyes. Everything about her was perfect.

Liza brought her hand up to his face and trailed her fingers over the three scars over his one eye. Her hand then trailed towards his chest were another scar was still visible on his well sculptured skin. His scars only made her heart beat stronger.

He was always there for her and despite her being angry at him for being completely selfless, she loved him. He saved her life and didn't regret anything that he did. He was strong and beautiful. More than anything she ever wanted.

"I love you"

"I love you too"

They kissed once again, this time more lovingly as before and their hearts beat in rhythm with each other. It was the night that two lovers shared together. Both loving the other with their entire being. It was a night filed with lovemaking.

But most of all, a night to remember.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	42. Chapter 42

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Thank you for waiting patiently and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 42**_

As the days continued to pass, Liza and Shanks were finally together. After their confessions and many lovemakings it became official. The crew were the first to cheer and Benn nodded in satisfaction.

It took quite a while but he was glad to see his Captain happy and by Liza's side who became a dear comrade. She still declined any options to join the crew but whether she joined or not, she was part of it.

Aston's training continued and he became much stronger. He could use his Devil's Fruit more effectively and Liza was proud of his progress. She knew that he would need to find a place of his own sooner or later because it was only a matter of time before she was hunted down again.

She could feel it.

Liza didn't need her premonition powers to tell her that she was going to be hunted down very soon. Her gut told her that the Navy were on their way and it was only a matter of time until she faced her longtime enemy.

The World Government.

Shanks promised that he wasn't going to leave her side no matter what but Liza could see that his men was starting to become restless. They wanted to sail out to the ocean and have adventures but she was keeping them there.

She wanted to them to be free and live out every moment of their lives even if she wasn't part of it. She knew, just like Richard had said, that their hearts belonged to the ocean. After all, they were pirates.

Her heart too, called for the ocean but she silently knew that she would never be able to sail the seas again. At least, not like before. She needed to go her own separate way and she needed to keep Aston safe, no matter what.

Liza lay on the bed, her head resting on Shanks' chest and his arm was draped over her shoulders. They were both enjoying the content of each other's company while Shanks played with Liza's black hair.

As Shanks played with Liza's hair, he noticed how silky smooth the black strands felt. The dark color fitted her lightly tanned skinned and complimented her bright blue eyes. Her plush lips didn't fade and had a rosy red color to them.

Besides the few scars she had on her back, her skin was flawless. Besides her beauty, he also noticed her inhuman strength. She was incredibly strong and as he thought about it he was reminded of how she easily injured both him and Mihawk in a flash.

However, when she did that she wasn't herself. It almost seemed like it was something completely else that took control of her. He was certain it was a result of her being an assassin but then again, he didn't know quite everything about her.

She was still a mystery.

Even so, he still loved her deeply despite her mysterious background and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. He was prepared to stay by her side and fight off both of their enemies. He wasn't going to let them touch her. As long as she was with him, she would be safe.

"You look very deep in thought, Shanks. Care to share your raging thoughts?" Liza spoke up and Shanks snapped out of his haze. He blinked a few times as he looked down at Liza and all his thoughts vanished when he met her bright blue eyes.

"Nothing much. I was just thinking how I enjoy waking up to you every single morning and wouldn't want to share you with anyone" Shanks husked out as he towered her and Liza laughed while playfully slapping his shoulder.

"Oh please, now you're just avoiding the question. You're still a mystery to me, Shanks, but I will crack you one day" Liza replied as he entangled her arms around Shanks neck as he chuckled at her statement.

"The real mystery here, is you. The only difference between you and me is that I don't think I'll ever understand the mystery around you" Shanks stated as he leaned in and Liza gave him a smug look with her blue eyes gleaming.

"Of course you won't" Shanks pouted and she snickered. She closed the gap between them and gave him a passionate kiss. It was only a brief kiss but it had both of their bodies warmed up, their heart slamming against their chests in the same rapid rhythm.

"Shanks, there is something I wanted to discuss with you" Liza started as Shanks kiss down her collarbone. He gave her a playful nib and she giggled. "Stop that! This is a serious thing!" She received a disappointing look but Shanks quickly replaced it with a smile as he sat next to her.

"It's about Aston" Shanks nodded his smile never leaving his face. "I want you to take him on your journey the next time you go out to sea. I need you to help him find his feet in the outside world so he can be safe. I don't want him to be in danger" She stated and Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"But you'll be coming with me out onto the sea. I'm not leaving you here when the World Government is hunting you down. I'm not leaving your side whether you like it or not. Besides, Aston still needs you" Shanks replied but Liza shook her head with a small smile.

"No, he doesn't need me anymore. He's strong and independent and I wouldn't be asking this if it wasn't very important to me. I need both you and Aston to be safe. I've been on the run for my whole life. I'm used to being hunted down" Liza stated but Shanks merely frowned.

"How many years ago was that?" Liza's face fell slightly. "Liza, I made a promise that I won't leave your side and that I will protect you no matter what. You're coming with me" Shanks didn't ask. It was a clear statement.

Liza looked up at his eyes and her heart gave a small squeeze. It was no use arguing with him because of his determined look but deep down she knew it won't be long now. However, she didn't have the strength to argue and nodded.

"Whatever you say, Shanks, but I still want you to help Aston and take him out to the sea as soon as you get the chance. He needs to earn some experience. Promise me that, will you?" Liza asked, her blue eyes begging the male to comply and he sighed before chuckling.

"I promise."

"Good, now we need to get dressed and ready for the day. We can't lay here the entire day long even if we wanted to" Liza pointed out and Shanks gave her a look filled with mischief. He climbed over her and pulled her closer making her snicker.

"As I recall, I'm the Captain of this ship. I can do anything I want. Besides, Benn will take care of everything else." Shanks husked out and Liza could feel excitement start to rush in her veins. Shanks gave her a predatory look but her pride made her challenge him back.

No matter how much she loved him, she still had her dominant side that fought against Shanks. This was a game that they both played and so far he was winning. Not that she minded. She still got a prize in the end.

Shanks passionately kissed her and Liza's hands instinctively snaked around his neck before she pulled him closer. Her fingers entangled in his hair while his hands rested on her hips, gently pulling her closer towards him. Heat lingered around them as they continued to kiss, the tension rising.

Liza then suddenly pulled away from Shanks and the male gave her a perplexed expression. She gave him one glance before she pushed him away. Shanks barely had time to process what happened before Liza stormed into the bathroom.

Shanks sat on the bed, his facial features showing his confusion and his heart still beating rapidly. Did he do something wrong for her to run out? No, she wouldn't do that. She would've hit or scolded him if he did something wrong.

He heard coughing from Liza in the bathroom followed by other sounds and his eyes widened. He rushed towards the bathroom and was about to open the door before he heard another cough from Liza.

"No! Don't come in!" She forced out but it was a weak yell. She sat at the toilet with her hair in her one hand, her face over the edge of the toilet. She felt sick and without warning another wave of nausea hit her.

"Liza, I'm coming in" Shanks said and Liza didn't have the strength to yell back at him. Shanks came in and saw Liza groan as she lay back against the cold wall. Her face was pale and she looked terrible from the nausea.

"I told you not to come in…"

She weakly glared at him but Shanks shook it off. "I don't care. Are you alright? What's wrong? Do you need a bit of water?" Shanks kneeled beside her and put his hand against her forehead only to be wacked away by Liza.

"I'm f-" Liza squeezed her eyes shut as another wave of nausea washed over her and took a deep breath. "I'm fine, Shanks. I just became nauseous all of the sudden. It's nothing to worry about. I probably drank too much last night" She gave him a small reassuring smile, her blue eyes softening.

Shanks wasn't buying it though. He could see that she looked sick and he knew very well that she never got sick. She did drink a lot but there was never a case where she got sick the next morning and it worried him greatly.

"Liza, you've never gotten sick before. Also, you didn't drink that much last night. I think you should come and see our doctor" Shanks suggested but Liza shook her head. She put her hand onto his and gave him a weak smirk.

"I'm fine, Shanks. It's probably all the drinking that finally caught up with me. You know how much I drank this week? It's normal that this will happen." Liza stated and said it to assure them both. She knew very well that she didn't get sick.

Ever.

Even when she drank for months on end she was never sick the next day but then again, she normally didn't drink that much. She drank a lot on occasions but she drank almost every day with the crew. She believed the sickness to be normal.

"I still think you should come and see our doctor to be sure." Shanks said and Liza was about to argue but saw the worry in his eyes. She gave him a smile and squeezed his hand lightly, her nausea briefly better.

"I'll go to a doctor, but not yours" Shanks was about to say something but Liza cut him off. "You've done way too much for me by now, Shanks. Besides, you know I hate doctors. I know a professional friend back in town. I promise to pop by as soon as I get the chance" Liza said and Shanks frowned.

"Liza, I don't mind that you come to our doctor. You're part of the crew and it's our duty to make sure that you're healthy and safe." Shanks tried to persuade her but as usual, Liza was stubborn. She gave him a teasing smile and trailed her thumb over his hand.

"I'm going to my friend and that's final. I know you want to help me but I'm fine. I'm telling you that it was just karma catching up with me. Now, since it's your duty to take care of me… Could you please bring me a glass of water?" Liza asked and Shanks nodded with a small smile.

"Fine, I'll comply but just this once" Shanks leaned in and Liza was in horror where he would kiss her until he gently kissed her forehead. "I'm on my way with the water" He softly said before he stood up and walked out of the bathroom.

Liza stared at his exiting form for a few moments before she chuckled. She leaned back against the cold wall and let out a sigh. He was a hopeless romantic and she appreciated that he cared but at times he was too much. She still loved him though.

"Idiot"

* * *

 **Later that day…**

Liza softly smiled as she walked through the small town of the island, her hands pocketed and calmness washing over her. She greeted a few of her comrades and they greeted her back with much enthusiasm.

It's almost been a while since the incident and the pain dimmed a lot but she could still feel the small tinge of sorrow in her chest. She silently noted that it wouldn't go away. She still knew that she made peace with what happened but she missed him.

She missed Richard. She missed 'Dine and Dash'.

She shook her head from the depressing thoughts and glanced in front of her again. She was on her way to her old friend for the checkup after Shanks couldn't stop bothering her about it. Honestly, that male knew how to irritate her some days. She was just a bit nauseous!

Now, here she was going for a checkup despite hating doctors to the very core. Then again, she hadn't seen Gladys in a long time and it would be good to see him again. There was a very small positive side to it all.

As she approached the edge of the town she saw a small wooden house and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. How long had it been since she came here? A year if she remembered correctly. It was the house of Gladys McCoy, their town doctor.

She walked up to the porch and gathered all her remaining courage before she rang the doorbell. She took a step back while her hands shook a bit, her heart beating in her throat. She honestly hated doctors…

"Hello? How can I help-Liza? What a surprise!" A dark haired male with large round glasses exclaimed as he opened the door to see Liza. He wore a lab coat and had a silver watch around his right wrist.

"Hey, Gladys. How have you been?" Liza asked, a small plastered on her face. She was glad to see him despite being nervous at his appearance. He looked like a doctor. He smelled like a doctor. Everything about him screamed medicine.

"I've been well. How have you been? Please, come in. You can sit in the living room" Gladys stood aside and made space for Liza to enter. He knew that she hated doctors and send her to the living room rather than his office. He didn't want to be killed.

"Thank you. I see you upgraded the place a bit. It's been so long since I've been here." Liza said and hesitantly sat down on one of the couches, Gladys following. He laughed wholeheartedly and Liza felt a bit more at ease.

"It's been a year, hasn't it? You're too scarce, Liza!" He laughed before his mood dimmed slightly. "I'm sorry about the bar but mostly Richard. How are you doing?" Gladys asked and Liza gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine. What happened is in the past now and Richard wouldn't want me to dwell on everything for too long. You know how he is. Besides, I have Aston who I need to keep an eye on." Liza said and he nodded with a grin.

"I'm glad to hear that the youngster is still up and running" He then changed the topic and looked back at Liza. "With what can I help you, Liza? I must say for you to be here it must be something quite serious" Gladys pointed out and Liza let out a frustrated sigh.

"It really isn't a big deal" Gladys raised an eyebrow and Liza sighed. "I've been feeling nauseous for a while now but this morning I actually threw up. Red Hair thinks I'm sick but I'm sure it's only because I drank too much this week" Liza explained and Gladys chuckled.

He was well aware of Liza's never-been-sick medical history and that it must've been hard for her to come here because of that. He also knew that she would usually brush off the large amounts of alcohol she took in and this was the first time she became sick because of it.

"Well, precaution is better than treatment, Liza." Gladys pointed out and received a small glare from the dark haired female. "Can you tell me when exactly did it start? The nausea? Do you have any other strange symptoms?" Gladys pulled a small clipboard onto his lap and looked at Liza.

"It started about…two weeks ago? I usually drink the men under the table but I haven't drank a lot." Liza's brows furrowed and her lips turned down into a frown. "Now that I think about it… I don't actually feel like drinking like I always do." Liza trailed off and Gladys wrote down everything.

"Two weeks you say…" Gladys rubbed his chin as he pondered on the thought while Liza swallowed thickly. What was going on with her? It was so unusual for her to feel this way. It never happened to her before.

"Liza, I'm going to run a small test" Liza's eyes widened in terror. "Calm down. I'm just going to take a urine sample. No needles involved, I promise" Gladys calmed her down and Liza nodded. She felt a little relieved that he wasn't going to use needles.

"The bathroom is this way and here is the cup. Take your time and let me know if you need any help" Gladys gestured towards the bathroom and Liza gave him a look to show her little amusement at his statement.

"I think I can get a urine sample without any help, Gladys" Liza replied and the male sweat dropped while nodding. Liza entered the bathroom while Gladys prepared the test outside, an interesting subject passing through his thoughts.

"So, you and Red Hair Shanks, huh?" Gladys suddenly brought up and he heard a thump in the bathroom followed by a curse. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Liza. I'm glad that you found someone who cared about you"

Liza let out a sigh inside the bathroom as she finished up and stepped outside. She handed him the cup and went to lean against the wall, a small smile wanting to break through her frown. Gladys noticed this and chuckled.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes" Liza's eyes briefly widened along with Gladys' at her fast reply before Liza lightly laughed. "Yes, I guess I do. However, it's not just him. His entire crew and Aston are like family to me now. Something that I've lost so long ago" Liza stated and her blue eyes softened.

Gladys smiled as well as he continued with the tests. Liza was never the person so open up or share anything but it seemed to have changed. A lot of her did. She would never come for only nausea but it looked like she was influenced positively by her loved ones.

"Would you want to start a family of your own with him, Liza?" Gladys asked and Liza's eyes widened. She didn't expect that question at all and she could feel her heart give a small squeeze, her eyes averting themselves to the ground.

"He's a pirate. His heart belongs to the sea. I don't want to be the cause of him to be anchored down on one place." Liza told the male while the rest of her thoughts trailed off. She was being hunted down by the World Government and it would never be safe for her. Also…

"Gladys… I…" Liza clenched her eyes shut tightly as she gritted her teeth. Her one hand clenched over her heart and Gladys's brows furrowed. "I… I can't have children…" She said and his eyes widened before traveling towards the test results.

"I-It's not possible for me to ever start a family because…because I was made an assassin. They made me into a monster. A monster who will never have children in its life" Liza sadly stated and felt another painful pang in her chest.

She never wanted to think or tell anyone about her situation and scattered dream but it just came out. She didn't have the strength to tell Shanks the truth and still avoided the subject where she could.

"Liza, it's not impossible" Gladys spoke up and Liza's eyes shot up towards him, confusion swirling through her blue eyes. What was he talking about? Did he have to go in detail for him to understand? She couldn't have children. It was that simple.

"Gladys, I don't think you understand what I meant. What happened to me…I can't reverse what they did and I can't have a family of my own because of it." Liza stated sharply but Gladys gave her a smile and lifted up a piece of paper.

"Liza, you're pregnant"

A gasp escaped Liza's lips as she stared at the male. She looked at the piece of paper where her positive test results stood but couldn't believe her eyes. It wasn't possible. She wasn't supposed to become pregnant.

"W-What…? H-How…?"

"I don't exactly know what happened to you, Liza, but I know that you are pregnant. The nausea, lack of interest in drinking, these are all symptoms. Congratulations" Gladys said but Liza could barely hear what he said before everything turned black in front of her.

She was pregnant?

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	43. Chapter 43

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!* Thank you for waiting patiently and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 43**_

Shanks stared out towards the island, a sigh escaping his lips. Liza left early the morning to go to her doctor friend and he still didn't hear anything from her. He was starting to get worried by how long she was taking.

He wanted to go out and look for her but she made it clear that she was going alone. He understood that she was afraid of doctors but she never told him why. He recalled her terror filled expression the first time they talked about it.

Ever since then he couldn't help but feel a tug in the back of his mind. Something happened long ago in her past life that gave birth to her fear of doctors and he wanted to know what it was. However, he silently decided to never ask her since it was obviously painful for her to remember.

Shanks felt a sting in his chest and glanced down at the scar that Liza left. His eyes slowly widened and he gently touched the damaged skin. Could it be…? Could it be that Liza's dark side was made by doctors?

 _"Harmless? Doctors aren't harmless. They do whatever they want with your body when they have the authority. Within an instant they can not only kill you but kill your dreams too. They're monsters"_

"Liza…" Shanks murmured under his breath and his brows furrowed. He knew he shouldn't wonder but what _did_ happen in her past? What happened to Liza? What did they do to her to make her life such a cursed life?

 _"I've always lived this cursed life ever since I was taken away from my home to be trained to become an assassin. No matter how hard I block_ it _out, it keeps coming back"_

Shanks could feel anger start to build up in his veins and briefly closed his eyes. If only he knew who did this to Liza he would make them pay dearly. However, what is done is done… He was thankful to know Liza who she was now. He didn't want to be stuck in the past.

"You look very deep in thought. I can only guess what's going on in that mind of yours" Benn's voice reached Shanks's ears and he glanced back at his first mate. Benn stood next to him, his arms pocketed and his cigarette lit.

Shanks smirked and looked back at the island again. "I'm just letting my thoughts catch some air, Benn." Shanks replied and Benn chuckled. He knew that it wasn't the only reason Shanks was intently staring at the island.

"She'll be here in a few. Liza isn't someone who will take her time and besides, she doesn't like to be long gone for various reasons…" Benn trailed off and Shanks glared at his first mate as a small blush came onto his cheeks.

Benn laughed and Shanks playfully punched his first mate. Benn's laughter died down in a chuckle before he let out a sigh. He looked up at the sky, the blue color reminding him at Liza's strong blue eyes and he smiled.

"Benn" Benn looked down at Shanks, his Captain's face serious. "I promised Liza that we'll take Aston out to the sea next time we traveled. She wanted Aston to be free and safe from harm" Shanks stated and Benn's brows furrowed slightly.

"Well, the kid is a lot stronger than he was, that's for sure." Benn exhaled a large cloud of smoke and leaned his back against the edge of the ship. "She's not planning to come with, is she?" Benn studied his captain's face in the corner of his eye.

"I don't want to leave her behind, Benn."

"I know, especially since it might mean a lot of trouble on her side but you can't force her to go with you. Liza's not someone to be forced into something and she always follows her own mind" Benn said and Shanks averted his eyes downwards.

"Don't worry. Liza's strong." Those words were all Benn said for Shanks to looked up at his first mate. Benn was right. Liza was indeed strong but she was also very fragile. It was something that Benn also knew but he had faith in her and so did Shanks.

"Yeah, I know-""Boss!" Shanks and Benn glanced back at Lucky Roo who hunched out of breath in front of them. He was heaving for breath and it made both Benn and Shanks's brows furrow. Something was wrong.

"Our territory, it's being attacked!" Shanks's eyes widened. "They just called in for backup since half of their forces have been wiped out already. What do we do, Boss?" Lucky Roo asked and Yasopp stood not too far away, waiting for the answer.

Of all times, it had to be now.

Shanks briefly closed his eyes and let out a sigh. The only option was for them to leave as early as possible since it would take about five days to reach his territory but would they be able to hold out so long. What about Liza? Would she go with them? What about Aston?

"Contact them back and ask them to hold on just a little longer. Men! I need you to finish up with getting supplies and be ready to set sail! Where's Aston?" Shanks ordered and glanced around until the male popped up in his vision.

"I'm here! What's wrong Shanks-san? Huh? Where's Liza-san?" Aston asked and looked around for the female but didn't spot the blue eyed woman anywhere. She must've still been on the island but what about her? Were they going to leave her behind?

"Aston, Benn, come with me. We're going to get Liza. The rest of you!" Shanks held out his hand. "I want everything ready for our journey when I come back!" Shanks stated and his crew replied with a cry.

"U-Um, S-Shanks-san?" Aston asked as they walked down the ship onto the island and on their way towards the small town. "W-What about me? And Liza-san?" Aston was unsure of what will happen now that they were setting out to the sea again.

Aston understood that Shanks needed to go and defend his territory but what was going to happen to Aston and Liza? He presumed that Liza would go with Shanks but what about him? Will he be left alone on this island? The thought terrified him.

"You will be joining us on this journey, Aston." Shanks replied and Aston's eyes widened. "I promised Liza that the next time we travel out on the ocean that you're coming with. You're already part of this crew now, Aston. There's no leaving you behind"

Aston watched as Shanks and Benn gave him both a smirk and he resisted the tears that wanted to form in the corner of his eyes. He was finally part of something. He was part of the crew and he couldn't be happier.

He had everything he wanted now. He had a family that consisted of a bunch of crazy pirates that accepted him almost immediately. He had Liza who was always there for him and he didn't know what he would've done without her.

He admired her greatly.

Shanks and Benn suddenly came to an abrupt stop making Aston blink in confusion. He glanced up before his eyes widened. Liza stood in the small open field with her back to them and her long dark strands floating in the wind.

"You came. It's finally time, isn't it?" Liza softly spoke, her one hand touching her abdomen, a sad smile forming onto her lips. Her eyes were hidden beneath her bangs and she could feel her heart give a painful squeeze.

"Liza, we're needed by our other comrades and we need you to come back with us. We need to get there as soon as possible" Shanks replied, despite a bunch of thoughts rushing through his head. Was she alright? What did the doctor say? Was she sick? Was she better now?

Liza turned towards them and gave them a sad smile, her blue eyes glistering with a peculiar emotion. Shanks felt his heart sink into his stomach and swallowed thickly. She felt so far away from him now.

"I'm sorry." She softly started. "You need to go and save your comrades as soon as possible but I won't be joining you on this journey. I'm staying here" Liza said as she walked towards them, Benn's eyes closing while Aston looked at her in confusion.

"Liza-san! What are you talking about?! Y-You can't just stay! Y-You're being wanted by the World Government and you can't face them alone! Come with us!" Aston exclaimed and Liza gave him a smile before she put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine, Aston. Are you forgetting who you're talking to? Besides, I'm not going away forever! You're coming back so this isn't a goodbye. This is more like a… 'See you later'" Liza stated and Aston gritted his teeth, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

"Then…why does this feel like I'll never see you again if we leave now?" Liza's eyes widened at Aston's words as his tears started to fall. Liza gave him a sad smile and pulled him into a tight embrace making him hug her back.

"Don't worry, Aston. I'll see you again. Just hold out for me, okay? It's safer if I don't go with you as well. If the World Government comes up at the attack on your territory, you'll be overwhelmed. Besides, they won't catch me." Liza said and broke the embrace while Aston wiped his tears away.

Aston nodded.

"Good, Benn, you better keep an eye on these two while they're out from under my eyes. I don't want them to do something that I won't do" Liza winked at the male and he chuckled, his own sadness gleaming in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'll do that. Just keep yourself safe until we come back, Liza." Benn stated and Liza nodded. He knew that she would keep herself safe especially since she was being hunted but he still worried. After all, she was a good friend of him.

"Aston, let's go" Benn's voice reached the male's ears and he was about to reply but saw Shanks looking at Liza. They needed some alone time. He nodded and followed after Benn a sad smile coming onto his lips. He took a few steps before he turned around and took a deep breath.

"LIZA-SAN! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR ME! I PROMISE THAT I'LL REPAY YOU ONE DAY!"

Liza's eyes widened and she could feel her heart give a painful squeeze. She nodded and waved back at him. "I'll keep you to that promise!" She replied and Aston nodded, his tears slowly flowing. He would never break that promise and Liza knew that someday he was going to fulfil it.

Liza watched as Benn and Aston walked away while keeping her thoughts to herself. She knew that this was the last time she was going to see them but didn't let her emotions escape. She looked back at Shanks and sighed softly.

"Shanks…"

Liza recalled the first time she met the male and how she wanted to kill him because he disturbed her peace with his obnoxious yelling. She remembered how she challenged him to drinking and enjoyed his company along with Benn and his crew.

Their friendship was quickly built and then he went away for two years, only to return with a bang. He saved her against Teach and he saved her from delving into the darkness again. He was there for her when she didn't expect him and that was when something else started to bloom.

 _"Then, can you help me carry it for a bit? It doesn't have to be much or even long, I just want it to be lighter"_

 _"As long as I'm here, I'll carry it with you"_

He always seemed to save her more than she anyone had ever done. He was always there for her where she went. Before she knew it, she fell in love with him and every moment since she couldn't imagine a life without him there.

 _"I do love you! I love you and your monster! I love all of you! I did promise that I would stay here with you and I'm not going anywhere! I don't care if it takes forever to break your grief, I'll do it anyway"_

She loved him. Not only because he saved her countless of times, or because he made her day or because he was always there for her. She loved him because he accepted her. Monster and all. He was the missing puzzle piece she always needed.

"Liza…"

Shanks swallowed thickly as he looked up at her face, her beauty always astounding him. How he loved those lively blue eyes. Ever since he met her, he felt attracted to her but only until he briefly lost her had he realized how much he loved her.

He didn't want to imagine a life without her. Her smile, her melodious voice, her laughter, her constant beatings and warnings. The best was if she woke up next to him. He felt complete and content with her in his arms.

He loved her more than time could tell.

"I went to the doctor and he said that I was fine. Told you so though, Liza Bloodmoore doesn't get sick!" Liza playfully exclaimed and brushed her hair out of her face. "You need to take care of yourself while you're gone and don't party too much"

"Same to you. Don't go doing anything stupid like challenging anyone else to drink or partying. The crew won't forgive you if you did" Shanks said and Liza laughed. She would never go to another crew in her life. Her heart belonged to the Red Hair pirates.

"Liza…" Shanks moved closer and cupped her cheek. Liza brought her hand up and touched his hand. "Stay safe, please. Wait for me until I come back" Shanks put his forehead onto hers and Liza nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, I'll wait for you. Don't make me wait too long though!" She said and Shanks chuckled. He looked up at her blue eyes and gently pulled her close into a kiss. Liza pulled him closer into the kiss and felt her heart squeeze painfully once again.

She didn't want this moment to end. She knew if it did end then she wouldn't be having it again. It didn't matter now though. She would always have a piece of Shanks with her and she vowed to protect that piece of light.

"I love you" _More than you'll ever know…_

"I love you too. Take care, Shanks" Liza whispered and kissed him once again. She could already see his figure walking away as her vision slowly became reality. She saw him walking away with his cape slightly rippling in the wind.

She saw his goofy grin as he held his straw hat on his head, his three scars contrasting against his friendly expression. He waved goodbye along with the rest of the crew and all she could do was wave back before biting her bottom lip. Her tears fell from her eyes and she held her abdomen.

She never told him…

"Goodbye, Shanks. Until we meet again"

* * *

 _ **Please Review!***_


	44. Chapter 44

_**Hey, all my faithful readers!* This is the second last Chapter of this book and I must say that it was quite a journey...***_

 _ **Thank you for waiting patiently and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 **Chapter 44**

The sea seemed calm as three Navy ships sailed the waters, the sun occasionally hiding behind a puff of clouds. The Conquest Line Island slowly came into view and a sigh escaped a pair of lips. They finally made it.

"Vice Admiral Garp! We're arriving at the Conquest Line and will be docking shortly, sir! We await your orders!" A marine soldier exclaimed while standing behind Garp who never removed his eyes from the small island.

His eyes narrowed and how brows furrowed. He crossed his arms over his chest and kept the silence lingering around them. The marine soldier behind him swallowed thickly and a small trail of sweat dripped down the side of his face.

"All you have to do is stay on this ship. I'm going out there alone and I don't want anyone following. Keep the ships ready to sail out again" Garp ordered and the male grunted before he walked away, ready to tell the rest of the soldiers.

 _You're waiting for me, aren't you, Liza?_

"Furl up the sails! Throw out the anchor!" The marines cried out as they started to dock at the harbor and the town's people looked up in much confusion. Their eyes widened when they saw Garp and some of them were overcome with rage.

"It's the Marines! What are they doing here?! Can't they see that they're too late! It's thanks to them that our town was thrown apart!" One of the men in the crowd yelled and some of the townspeople agreed with their own cries.

Garp stepped off the ship, a few of his men behind him. The crowd started to become quieter as he walked closer but few of them weren't going anywhere. They glared at the Vice Admiral and Garp knew exactly why.

"On behalf of the Navy I apologize for all the havoc that was caused on this island. My men are available to help with any damage that is still unfixed. As for those who caused havoc, they have been punished for their crimes" Garp stated before a female from the crowd stepped out.

A male was by her side and she glared up at Garp. "Their punishment won't bring back the lives that have been lost." She merely said before she walked away along with most of the townspeople and Garp let out a sigh.

"Vice Admiral Garp…" Garp held out his hand to stop the soldier from talking and then walked away. It was true. The punishment that Curtis and his men received wasn't going to bring back the dead but it wasn't going to bring them back either.

He regretted not being on this island when everything went down and he regretted not being able to beat Curtis up for what he did. However, in a way Liza did save the island and made sure they paid with their lives.

He was here to make sure that she wasn't going to be hunted down by the World Government because of it. He knew that Sengoku can only stall the news of the marines' death for so long. That's why he had to act fast.

He stepped into an open field and his eyes caught sight of a dark blur. He blinked a few times before he started to walk towards the figure, his hands pocketed. He knew it was Liza and he knew that she was waiting for him.

She knew that he was coming for her.

He could feel the closer he got to her, the darker the atmosphere became. It made chills run down his spine and he swallowed thickly. He knew that she wasn't going to be happy to see him he had never felt so threatened before in his life.

"Liza-" A dark blade of a dagger was suddenly touching his neck and Liza held it tightly. Her blue eyes were almost blackened and her dark strands floated up. A dark presence seeped up onto Liza's hand in which she held the dagger and the blade pressed tighter against Garp's neck.

"You have the nerve to show up, Garp" She darkly snarled at the male and Garp swallowed thickly, feeling the blade cut his skin ever so slightly. Liza was different. She had much more malice seeping off her than she ever did in her Red Menace form.

"I came to apologize" Garp replied but received a scoff from Liza, her anger almost seemed to build up. "Liza, I want you to know that what happened was out of our control but if we could take it all back we would've"

"But you can't, can you?" Liza said and felt her control slowly started to slip. She briefly closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Garp watched with much surprise as Liza sheathed her dagger as fast as she pulled it out and the dark presence vanished.

"You can't change what happened, Garp. I thought that I could trust you but in the end I couldn't. Now I have blood on my hands and some of that blood belongs to Richard. The man _you navy_ killed" Liza stated bitterly, but kept her face stoic.

Garp briefly closed his eyes and started to kneel. Liza watched him in the corner of her eyes before they widened when Garp bowed in front of her. Her blue eyes widened and she took a step back in shock.

"I apologize for all the grief we caused you, Liza D. Bloodmoore! As an honorable Navy soldier I apologize for the contract we broke and that our promise is not void! One more time, we will protect you because of our fault!" Garp said and Liza's eyes were hid beneath her bangs.

"Stand up, Garp"

"Please! Let me help protect you one more time!" Garp exclaimed again and Liza briefly clenched her eyes shut. She turned her back to Garp and put a hand on her abdomen. She felt a wave of calm wash over her and sighed.

"Stand up, Garp. I accept your offer" Liza said and Garp's eyes widened. He looked up at her and saw her turn around towards him. He slowly stood up, and Liza gave him a strong determined look that made his brows furrowed.

"I will accept your offer. Your chance to redeem yourself is now. I want you to help me disappear and take me back home. Not for me, but for my child" Liza stated and Garp's eyes widened once again. He couldn't believe it.

"Liza, you're pregnant?! No, don't tell me… It's that Red Hair's child, isn't it?! You'll be hunted down! Do you have any idea what danger you put that child in?!" Garp exclaimed and Liza looked up at him, not fazed by his words.

"That is why you're going to help me go home and vanish until it is time for my child to go into the world. I don't need help to disappear on my own and I _will_ face the World Government someday but not now." Liza's blue eyes quivered and she bit her bottom lip.

"Please, Garp. I ask this one favor of you for my child. You may do with me as you like but not my child. Promise me you'll protect this child!" Liza begged the male and Garp stared at her, shocked at her request.

It made a nostalgic feeling wash over him and his heart ached. It was the same request that Roger made. He wanted Garp to protect his child and so far he did. He owed Liza, he knew that much but she didn't seem to care. She was desperately trying to keep her child safe.

"Liza, if you promise to come with me now I will take you to your home town and keep you safe. That child will be under your own protection until you're not there to take care of it" Garp replied and tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

"Thank you"

Garp nodded and turned his back towards her before starting to walk, Liza not far behind him. Garp was still in a bit of a shock and briefly glanced back at Liza. She was different in a way and yet still the same.

Her darkness was much more intense than before but her normal side was calmer in a way. She was sincerely worried about her child and put her pride aside. Instead of threatening, she asked him to protect the child which was something different.

"Liza" The female glanced up at him as he glanced back and raised an eyebrow. "Does he know? Does that Red Hair know it's his child?" Garp asked and noticed the sadness that flashed in Liza's eyes.

"No, he doesn't know. He doesn't know that I'm pregnant." Liza replied and Garp's brows furrowed. "I can't risk his freedom or this child's life by telling him now. Besides, he needs to continue on with his life until it's time for her to join him"

"What about you? Aren't you going to join him?"

Liza looked up at him with a small sad smile and he almost immediately knew what she was about to say. She wasn't going back to Shanks but why, Garp didn't know. His eyes widened and realization washed over him. Did she already see her future?

"I'm going to join him someday but in my next life" Liza answered and Garp silently nodded, not asking any more questions. Liza glanced to her side where a grave caught her eyes and she stopped in her tracks. Garp noticed this and glanced back in confusion.

Liza stared at the grave and felt a strong wave of wind pass through her hair. _Yeah, I know, Richie. Goodbye, Old Friend. I'll see you again someday._ She then turned and walked once again, Garp still thrown into a bit of confusion.

 _I'll see you again along with Shanks, Benn, Aston the entire crew and then…my crew. For now, I wish for you to keep an eye on me and watch me as I make my dream come true._ Liza silently said in her thoughts and smiled as she looked up at the sky.

It was time.

* * *

 ** _Three weeks later… East Blue, Rosa Island._**

Liza stood in front of an old dusty house, a small smile on her lips. After three weeks of traveling she finally arrived at her destination. She was 'home'. In a way it was true but in a way her 'home' was where her heart was.

The sea.

"I'm home, Mother, Father." Liza said before she walked up to the house and took a few steps. She slowly opened the door of the empty and dull house, her blue eyes glancing around. It looked just like the day she was taken away from home.

It was a bit dusty and dull but she could do something to change that. It was the perfect place to raise her child where no one would ever find them. It was going to be safe, Liza was going to make sure of that.

"Hey, Liza! Are you sure about this place? It looks a bit…shabby" Garp called from outside and Liza glanced back at the male that looked around the house. Liza laughed and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"It's perfect, don't worry. If I stay here then we won't be found and it's my parents' house. They would've wanted me to have it." Liza answered and Garp chuckled. He looked back at the house finding it strange to look at the place where Liza was once born.

"Garp, I just want to say thank you. I appreciate everything you've done over the years despite what happened. Once again, you've protected me and I hope that you'll protect her as well" Liza gestured towards her abdomen and Garp raised an eyebrow.

"I'm glad that you're happy now, Liza… Wait, her? How to you know it's a girl?" Garp asked with a perplexed look and Liza laughed once again. Did she see the child being born and that it was a girl or was she making assumptions?

"Who knows? I guess it's just a feeling"

Garp sweat dropped and let out a sigh. He glanced around and saw their ships docked at the harbor before his face fell into an impassive expression. Three weeks of traveling all the way here with Liza on board wasn't as easy as he hoped it would be since the men were all deadly afraid of Liza.

She made it a bit easier by making herself scarce but still. Now, he had to return to base and make sure that the men didn't spill a word about the female they carried. Luckily he navigated the ship and his men didn't know this side of East Blue.

"Well, it's time for me to leave, Liza. I need to get back at base as soon as possible. I'll see you again. Keep safe" Garp stated and Liza nodded. She held out her hand and Garp was surprised for a few moments before he took her hand with a grin.

"See you again, Garp"

They both knew the moment Liza said it that the changes were going to be very small that they were going to see each other again. Liza merely watched the male walk away after that and smiled up at the blue sky.

She wondered if the others were also staring up at the sky as she did. She missed them all. Shanks, Benn, Aston and the entire crew! But it was better this way. They could live on in freedom and she was going to make sure that her dream continued to live on.

"I'll see you all again someday…"

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile on Conquest Line…_**

"Boss! We've looked all over for her but she's not here. There's no trace of her on the island. She's gone" Yasopp sadly stated behind his red haired Captain who stared to the ocean, his arms crossed and a sigh escaping his lips.

"You did leave in the end, Liza…"

"We all knew she would, none of us was willing to say a word though. What is your plan now?" Benn asked as he lit his cigarette and Aston came in next to the male. He looked at Shanks but already knew what he was going to say.

"I-"  
 _"I'll see you all again someday…"_

Shanks' eyes widened and shot up to the sky. That voice… It was Liza. A smile came onto his lips and he looked back at his men who all stared at him in confusion. Shanks was definitely going to see Liza someday even if it was in another time.

"We're going to sail out those waters and see where they take us. We won't find her anywhere now, but someday we'll see her again. For now, let's do what she'd want us to do and conquer those seas!" Shanks exclaimed and his men was right behind him.

Shanks looked back up at the sky, Aston, Benn, Lucky Roo and Yasopp joining him. Shanks somehow knew that Liza was staring at the same sky somewhere and he was going to find her someday. Until then, he was going to become stronger to protect what he needed to.

 _Liza, know until I find you I will love you until the end of time…_

 _Shanks, know until I see you again, I will love you as long as pirates sail the sea…_

* * *

 ** _Please Review!*_**


	45. Chapter 45

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 _ **This is the final Chapter of Liza's book...*sniff*... It was really great to write this and share it with all of you. Thank you for everyone who reviewed, Favorited, followed and read this story! You guys pumped me up to write and I couldn't wait to post each and every chapter. It was a tough rollercoster of emotions but it was completely worth it.**_

 _ **Thank you for waiting patiently and p**_ ** _lease enjoy!*_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do no own One Piece or any of it's characters but the OC's inserted as well as Liza is my own character*_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 45**_

 ** _As time passed…_**

Liza silently sat on one of the chairs inside a small room, her belly swollen greatly and her hand gently stroking it. She could feel her time arrived and it was almost time for her child to step into the world.

The first few months alone was hard for Liza to adjust from the party, rowdy se normally had but she managed. The house was in top shape and she made sure to make it as cozy as possible. It also helped to get the day by.

On other days she toned the rusty old piano in her old room and went out go sit in the field of flowers not too far away from the house. She was content. Her heart sill ached for her loved ones but she knew inside that it was for the best.

She felt a painful cramp come from her stomach and gasped slightly at the sudden pain. She looked down at her belly and a small smile came onto her lips. Her stroking stopped and she let out a sigh to calm her nerves.

"You're finally coming, love?"

"Oh dear! Already! We need to get you as relaxed as possible!" One of the nurses rushed into the room when they heard Liza spoke and the blue eyed female chuckled. The other nurse was quick to follow and they made her comfortable on the bed.

"Now, just relax and we'll take care of the rest. We'll tell you when to work with us" The elder nurse said and Liza nodded. She then turned out of the window, her blue eyes rivaling the blue sky. The sun shone through puffs of clouds.

 _My dear child…  
I can't express the happiness that you gave me the day that I heard of your coming. I was thrilled to know that someone such as I could dream to have a piece of heaven._

Liza gritted her teeth at the pain that exploded from her abdomen and clenched her fists tightly. "Alright, it's time. I need you to start pushing." The nurse stated while the other nurse patted Liza's sweating forehead with a wet cloth.

 _For years I thought that I would live this cursed life where I can never make my dream come true. When I met your father it briefly changed and I was content with what I had. However, it saddened me that I could never give him the same joy that you gave me._

"And push!" Liza let out a silent cry as she did what the nurse told her and grabbed the blankets beneath her. "That's it, take deep breaths. Breathe and push" The older nurse continued to instruct and Liza nodded.

 _You'll get to meet him one day. Your father is as amazing person and my love for him will never fade. However, his strength doesn't lay with just him, his strength is the bonds he made with his comrades who will one day be yours as well._

"I can see the head! You're almost done, Liza! Go, push!" Liza could feel a piece of her control slipping but gritted her teeth and swallowed it back. No, this was her own pain. She had to break through this for her child.

 _You're destined for greatness, My Love. You're going to shake this ocean from its core and you're going to make such amazing comrades. You'll one day live the dream that I had for you. You're going to be free._

Another cry, separate from Liza's reached her ears and Liza blinked a few times. The pain was gone… She glanced up and saw the nurse wrap a small bundle in a blanket. The nurse smiled up at her and walked towards Liza.

"It's a girl."

 _Yes, my dear child. You will conquer everything thrown in your path and you will love sincerely. I wish for you to be the best and always be true to yourself. Remember that I love you more than the stars in the sky._

"What are you going to name her?" The younger nurse that helped asked as Liza took her little girl in her arms. She was exhausted but it was brushed away by the happiness and pride that swelled in her chest.

The little girl opened her blue eyes and looked up at her mother. Liza brushed through her short red hair and laughed lightly as tears formed in the corner of her eyes. She put her forehead against the baby and smiled.

She could see it all clearly now. Flashes of the future her child would live. A proud, woman who would touch the heart of others. She would become part of a crew, find love and find her father. She was going to be free and live on the ocean.

"Rosalie… My dear Rosalie"

 ** _The End…_**

* * *

 ** _That's it everyone! This is where Liza's story ends...but Rosalie's story still continues!* I have a few ideas that's bouncing around in my head as to what I should write next and I'm already excited to start. I'll let you guys know as soon as the next book of Rosalie will be out!*_**

 ** _So please, follow & favorite for the latest updates!_**

 ** _Lastly but not least, please review and you can even throw a few ideas my way if you want. Let me know what you guys think!*_**


	46. NA

_**Hi, all my faithful readers!***_

 ** _It's finally time for my next book... I started writing it and the first Chapter with it's Prologue is posted for you to go read. I'm very excited for this next story and I hope that you enjoy it. There are a lot of interesting twists and turns but please be sure to enjoy it._**

* * *

 **Dangerous Blood - Part 1**

Following one's true nature could lead to destruction... Trouble followed her whether it was destiny, a strange ghost who doesn't like to communicate or an aggressive Redhead male who just wants her to join his crew. All she wanted to do was find Law and give him a piece of her mind, but the path chosen for her seems to take her on another interesting road. Unwanted Blood Sequel*

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 ** _R &R*_**


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